Bleeding Heart
by calliopechild
Summary: Leo learns the hard way that sometimes compassion can be deadly. Rated T just in case, for some language and violence. The story is completed with Chapter 13, Holding On to Ghosts.
1. Pizza Ninjas

_**Disclaimer:** I'm sure you all know the drill by now, but far be it from me to shun my lawful responsibilities as an author, tiresome and repetitive though they may be. So here goes: the party of calliopechild, who shall now be referred to as the defending party, denies any and all claims or ties of ownership to, concerning, or in the application of any juvenile genetically-altered martial arts practicing amphibians. Translation from the legal jargon? I don't own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Unfortunately. If I did, the dollars in my bank account would have a lot more friends to keep them company. Nope, all I own is the idea for this story, the plot, and my character, who I've yet to think of a name for. . But never fear! When I do finally think of a name, it'll be a good one._

Leo walked into the main room of the lair to find his brothers in varying states of unproductiveness: Mikey was sitting on the floor, kept company by a rapidly disappearing mound of popcorn and watching some superhero film for what was probably the fifteenth time; Raph was lounging on the armchair, making snide remarks about the hero and twirling a sai in one hand; and Don was in the lab, goggles on and hard at work welding something. Leo figured now was as good a time as any to bring up his idea.

"Who's up for a patrol?"

Three green, bandana-wearing heads all popped up at the words, and three pairs of eyes all widened at the sight of the speaker.

"Are you serious, Leo?" Donnie asked in a curious voice.

Leo nodded. "We haven't had much Foot activity lately, and the Purple Dragons seem to be lying low. Either everyone's planning something, or we're just getting a well-deserved break. I figure now's a good a time as any."

Mikey put a hand to his chest, and said dramatically, "I never thought I'd see the day! Leonardo the Great has actually…loosened up!" He grinned, unable to stay serious for long. "Way to go, bro!"

A dark green hand reached out to smack him on the back of the head. "Would ya mind shuttin' up, shell-for-brains? Don't give him a chance ta change his mind," Raph remarked. Grinning at the thought of getting out for a bit, he asked Leo, "Are you low on sword wax or somethin', 'Fearless Leader'?"

Leo sighed at the overused nickname. "Very funny, Raph. It's a good opportunity to practice stealth and coordination, and we need to be prepared for anything…" he trailed off.

Raph snorted. "Yeah, yeah, 'a ninja is always vigilant' and all that crap. Only you could take fun out of goin' topside."

"And besides," Leo continued, a smile growing on his face, "there might be some disturbances down at the pizza place that we should check out."

All three of his brothers cheered at that comment.

"Alright, bros!" Raph commented, slinging an arm around Leo's shoulders. "Looks like 'Splintah Junior' here is finally developin' a sense of humor. I never thought I'd see the day."

Leo laughed as he pushed Raph's arm off. "Yeah, well, you know what they say Raph; the four "Ps" of Ninjitsu are pride, power, pals, and pizza!"

More cheers followed as the four brothers high-three-ed each other.

"My sons!" a sharp voice rapped out. All four turned to see Splinter walking out of his room, and they instantly winced at the tone in his voice. "What is the meaning of this? Am I to understand that you plan to risk being seen by humans for a mere meal? Have I not taught you better than this?"

"But Master Splinter," Donny protested, confused as to why their sensei was so angry about a simple pizza run, "we were just-"

"Master Splinter, it's my fault," Leo cut in, stepping in front of his master and bowing. "I suggested that we go patrolling and pick up a pizza for dinner."

"I see. Of all of you, I would have thought that _you_ would have shown better judgment, Leonardo." His brothers watched as Leo cringed at the reprimand. They knew he hated disappointing Master Splinter, and they felt bad that he was getting chewed out, but no one was willing to cross an angry Splinter.

Except Raph. "But Master Splintah, what's the big deal? It's not like Leo's plannin' on walkin' down da street in broad daylight ta go take on da Foot and da Purple Dragons or nothin'. We're just goin' out for some grub!"

Don and Mikey's eyes nearly left their sockets. They were used to Leo always covering for them and taking the blame on himself. But Raph, sticking up for their eldest brother? Mikey leaned over and whispered in Donny's ear.

"Donatello, I think it's official. You'd better turn up the heat."

"What are you talking about, Mikey?"

"Raph's actually taking Leo's side. That can only mean one thing…Shell's frozen over," he quipped.

His older brother sighed. "Oh, Mikey. It's not like it's the first time it's happened."

"True," Mikey agreed. "But you must admit, normally Raph is the first one selling tickets to see Sensei chew out Leo."

Don had to admit that Mikey had a point. "Well, maybe Raph's finally learned how to control his temper and get along with Leo…"

Mikey raised an eye ridge at his brother. "Are you listenin' to yourself, bro? I thought you were s'posed to be the smart turtle." He paused and looked at Don closely. "We _are_ talkin' 'bout the same Raphael we both know and tolerate, right?"

Donny stopped to ponder his own words, and realized what he had just said. He sighed, resigned, and replied, "I'll go get the heater."

But as he turned back to his two older brothers and his sensei, he was stopped by Splinter's next words.

"And to hear you speak so lightly of the art of Ninjitsu! Never have I thought my sons would dishonor me in such a way. As I have told you many, many times…" he paused for breath, and all four turtles braced themselves for the next wave of scolding, "the main principles of Ninjitsu…"

"…are pride, power, pals, and _pepperoni_ pizza," Splinter finished teasingly.

Four sets of eyes nearly rolled out onto the floor at these words. Leo was the first to recover, controlling the grin on his face and bowing again to Splinter.

"You are right, of course, Sensei. I feel terrible about my mistake," he said as seriously as he could.

"All is forgiven, my son…as long as you bring home breadsticks as well." Splinter bowed back to his sons, and walked calmly back to his room.

Mikey finally found his voice. "Did Sensei just make a joke? Did he seriously just say something funny?"

"I don't know, Mikey, I'm still reelin' from the fact that Leonardo here has finally learned how to have fun," Raph said.

"Guys, how about we head out for dinner before we all end up with heart attacks?" Donny suggested. "We can make note of these momentous occasions on the calendar when we get back."

The four brothers gathered up their various weapons and Shell-cells, as well as a disguise for whoever ended up buying the pizza.

"And we're off! People and pies everywhere, beware! For we are the pizza ninjas!" Mikey joked.

As Splinter heard his sons leave the lair laughing and talking, he smiled to himself. Then, still sitting calmly in the lotus position, he prepared himself for his evening meditation.

"…_Extra_ pepperoni…"

**A/N: So, um, yeah! There it is folks, the FIRST ever chapter of my FIRST ever story on here. So be kind. I would be so very much obliged if you would review this and let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated; I'm still a little iffy on my POV in here, so let me know what you think. Also, any tips or comments on chapter length or character personalities would be great. Any flames will be used to make toasty S'mores and a bonfire. Why? Because flames suck, as do the people who write them; also, S'mores are awesome and it's cold out. :D Please review!**


	2. Shot in the Dark

_**Disclaimer:** (Checks bank account and pockets) Nope, I still don't own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (Cries) But I wish I did! Does that count? (Looks around and sees the lawyers shake their heads) …Guess not. Sigh. Anyways, the only thing about this story that I own is the idea for it and the plot, as well as my character, who is making her grand debut in this very chapter! Yays! As a rule, I will try and update my stories as often as I can, as quickly as I can. Why? Because if people are kind enough to read my stories, and if they enjoy them, then I feel that I should update quickly for them. Besides, I'm impatient, and I know how it feels to wait for a favorite story to update. But please, keep in mind that this is my senior year, and I am sometimes bogged down with school-type stuff. But I will still do my best._

_To everyone who read and reviewed my story, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. So as a reward, I give you…the next chapter! And only 5 days after the first one! Mazeltov! Anyways, it's a little longer, and things finally start rolling plot wise._

_Now, on to Chapter 2!_

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Ask any citizen in the Big Apple, and they'll say the same thing: New Yorkers are used to seeing strange things. After all, they've already faced alien invasions, played host to intergalactic battles, and put up with their fellow neighbors. But on a breezy August evening, had one of them chanced to look up, they might have seen something that would top the list:

Four odd, human-shaped beings traveling along the tops of buildings. Four creatures that looked like people, but who seemed capable of feats no human could hope to live through: leaping and flying from rooftop to rooftop like odd inner-city Tarzans.

Plus, one kept shouting something…

"COWABUNGA!"

"Michelangelo! Are you out of your mind?!" Leo yelled at his youngest brother as he effortlessly flipped over the gap between two buildings. "We're ninjas! We're supposed to be trying to be stealthy here!"

"C'mon, Leo," Don said, clearing the space just as easily, "this is Mikey we're talking about. He does stealthy just about as well as he does quiet."

"Hey," the turtle in question protested, "I resent that comment."

"No, shell-for-brains, you _represent_ that comment," Don retorted.

"Brainiack's got a point, bonehead," Raph said. "The only time I've evah heard ya be quiet is when you're sleepin'."

"Oh yeah? Well, that's more than can be said for you, Raphie boy," Mikey shot back. "At least _I_ don't snore!"

"I _told_ ya not to call me that," Raph said, glaring as he stopped with his brother on the roof of an apartment building.

"And who's gonna stop me? After all, I _am_…"

"Don't say it! Don't you dare say it!"

"…the Battle Nexus Champion!"

Leo groaned. "Aw, shell. Here we go again." He knew this argument wouldn't lead anywhere anytime soon, so he left his three brothers behind to continue to scout ahead.

"…Master of the Multiverse!"

"You know, Mikey, you only won by a technical default," Don pointed out sensibly, joining them.

"…the Ultimate Warrior of-OW! Ow ow ow owwwww…" Mikey's ranting was cut short as first one three-fingered hand smacked him on the back of the head, then another snapped his mask strings. "You dudes are just jealous."

"Jealous of what, shell-for-brains? Don't kid yaself, tha only reason your sorry-excuse-for-a-ninja butt won that tournament was 'cuz that whackbag Draco and tha Daimyo's son were tryin' ta take it over," Raph said.

"But if I remember correctly, I beat your big green butt fair and square, _Raphie boy_," Mikey taunted.

Raph growled and rested his hands on his sai. "I ain't gonna say it again, Mikey. Don't call me that."

"Why not? Does it upset you, Raph-"

"Guys. Over here," a voice interrupted.

The three turtles turned at the sound of their oldest brother's voice. He was standing at the edge of the next building over, looking down into the alley. They quickly joined him.

"So what's up, Leo?" Mikey asked. "This isn't the place for the pizza shop."

"Quiet, Mikey. Look down there, in the alley. Purple Dragons," Leo spat the last words.

"Is it Hun?" Raph asked eagerly. "I'm itchin' fer some payback."

"No, it's not Hun," Don corrected, peering down into the dark alley. "Just some punks holding up some poor woman."

"What say we engage in some…"community service", bros?" Raph asked, grinning darkly and spinning his sai.

"Raphael," Leo began, a warning in his tone.

"What? You tellin' me ya wanna just sit here an' let them get away wit dat?"

Leo sighed, frustrated. "No, but we didn't come out here looking for trouble. And we can't just go barging in there and risk being seen."

"So then let's do this ninja style!" Mikey said. Don and Raph echoed their agreement.

Leo looked at his brothers and sighed again. A ninja knew when to admit defeat, so he nodded to show his consent. As they swiftly and silently made their way down to street level, Leo thought of his brothers and shook his head ruefully. He was outnumbered three to one, once again. He could probably count on two hands the number of times this happened a week…Glancing down at said hands, he gave a wry grin. _Actually, I probably couldn't_, he thought. _Not enough fingers_.

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Splinter sat down in his favorite chair with a sigh. Sipping his cup of tea, he closed his eyes for a moment. _Ah, silence,_ he thought. _At times, it is the sweetest sound of all_. Splinter had to acknowledge the fact that he wasn't as young as he used to be. And proud as he was of his sons, he also had to admit that their absence came as a welcome relief at times. When he had found them as tiny, helpless turtles covered in a strange green ooze 16 years ago and decided to care for them as his own, he never foresaw having to say some of the things he had.

"_Raphael! Take your hands from Michelangelo's throat at once!"_

"_No, Michelangelo, you may not skip practice to watch "Zombie Fighters"."_

"_Donatello, please hold your brother while I remove the carrot from his nose."_

"_No, Leonardo, you may not kill him. Fratricide is not the way of a ninja."_

And yet, he knew he would not have it any other way. For while he enjoyed having some time to himself, he always worried about his sons when they ventured into the humans' world. Every time they left the lair, he always waited for their return, tired by the end of the night from keeping his worst fears at bay. Splinter knew too well the prejudice and fear of humans, and their refusal to accept that which they do not understand. And though he had warned his sons and ensured that they knew of the danger of being seen, he also knew that they all had good hearts and wished to help those in trouble.

Splinter often wondered if perhaps their meeting of Mr. Jones and Ms. O'Neil was not just as harmful as it was helpful; because of their acceptance and friendship, his sons harbored the fragile hope that perhaps other humans would accept them as well. But Splinter knew that their human friends were the minority more than the majority, and that for every human who would accept them, five more would fear and turn on them. That was why he had taught them the art of Ninjitsu; a ninja made his life by living in and working from the shadows. The secrecy and stealth that was a ninja's lifeblood was the one thing Splinter knew that could keep his sons alive. Taking another sip of tea, he thought of his sons and how they had grown.

Michelangelo, his youngest son. He was a natural athlete, and his nunchuks reflected his expressive nature. One would be more likely to find him entranced in a comic book or cartoon than practicing. He was full of life; his family's light in the darkest of times. And oftentimes, their most frequent form of exasperation. Michelangelo was the jokester, the trick player, the comedian. Splinter had lost count long ago the number of times he had had to intervene on Michelangelo's behalf to protect him from his older brothers' wrath after a particularly devious prank. But his youngest had a big heart, and loved and looked up to all of his brothers. And they loved him as well. Even when he drove them insane.

This brought him to his next son, Donatello. Donatello was oftentimes the unfortunate victim of Michelangelo's curiosity and penchant for trouble, and countless times one could hear crashing sounds coming from his lab, accompanied by an aggravated cry. His second youngest was an intellectual giant. Splinter was constantly amazed at the things his son was capable of. The marvels of science were mother's milk to him. Because of his intellect and skill, their lair enjoyed all the comforts the humans did; electricity, running water, and heat. His weapon was the bo staff; not overly threatening in and of itself, but when wielded by hands like Donatello's, potentially lethal. Splinter's scholarly son was almost a pacifist at heart, but would match any warrior should his brothers come to harm. However, he did not enjoy the fight like Raphael.

Raphael. His second-born. Splinter mused wryly that many of his gray hairs were most likely from his hotheaded son; though in all honesty, a large portion of them were also attributed to Michelangelo's antics. Rash, temperamental, and the first in a fight, Raphael was an unlikely ninja. He preferred to fight head on with anyone who challenged him rather than striking swiftly and silently from the shadows. Raphael's weapon of choice was also reflective of his personality; the sai, a weapon that was sharp, lively, and cunning. Though his heart was often clouded by anger, he was fiercely protective of his brothers. He cared just as deeply for his family as they did, even if he would be the last to show it. But care for them though he did, he also never hesitated to quarrel with them.

And the one he fought with the most was Leonardo. His eldest son. A father's pride and joy, and worst fear: a son who strives in everything to make his father proud and who works hard to excel…and who would trade his life in an instant for anyone in his family. Splinter had trained and raised him to be a leader, and he led his brothers well, though they did not always appreciate it. Leonardo's weapons, the katana, were another excellent reflection of the wielder: brilliant and deadly. His loyalty and strength had served the family well, and he sought always to protect them. Leonardo put his brothers and Splinter, his sensei, ever before himself. And yet he could be just as stubborn and hardheaded as Raphael, a fact that led to many of their fights.

_Yet a father could not ask for more than such fine sons_, Splinter thought, taking another drink from his mug.

As Splinter thought of Leonardo, a sudden wave of foreboding struck him. He tensed, unconsciously testing the air for the danger he felt surrounding his eldest. But he quickly determined that the attack carried a scent more of the spiritual than the physical. Setting aside his tea, he grasped his walking stick and headed to his room to meditate and try to contact his sons. His calm pace belied the agitation within; the only visible sign of his anxiety was his lashing tail as he slid open the wooden door to his room.

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Raph's eyes narrowed as he crept up on the ten thugs and the woman. His hands gripped his sai as he saw one pull out a gun and start waving it at the woman. Feeling one of his brothers at his side, he growled softly, "Ya know, Leo, tha only thing I hate more than guns is tha whackbags that use 'em."

His elder brother nodded tightly. "I hear ya, Raph."

"So are we gonna do this or not, Fearless Leader?"

Leo glanced askance at his brother at the name, but after checking the locations of his brothers and the humans, he nodded again. "We're doing it." Pulling a shuriken out of his belt, he continued. "I'll try to take out the gun. You guys know the drill; everyone pick a target and as much as you can, _keep to the shadows_." Cocking an eye ridge at his red banded brother, he commented wryly, "That means you too, Raphael."

"Yeah, yeah, don't get ya bandana in a bunch." He slid away from Leo, taking a position with the rest of his brothers. But despite his caution of the gun, he grinned at the thought of a good tussle. _I am so gonna enjoy this._

At the signal, Mikey kicked over a trash can, diverting the men's attention from their victim. But in his surprise, the gunman's finger tightened on the trigger and a shot was heard, quickly followed by a shriek. In the next instant, a deadly throwing star flew out of the alley and knocked the gun away from the man's hand. The four brothers then leapt from the shadows and quickly went to work.

Mikey twirled his nunchuks wildly, knocking out several gang members with blows to the head. Don swung his bo staff to the side and angled it down, tripping one man, then whipped it to the other side to clothesline another. Raph took down his men with punches, slamming the handle of his sai into any available space. Leo dealt kicks and blocked weapons with precision, dodging chains and pipes and slicing them in half.

When all but the leader were down, the four turtles turned to the man. Leo sheathed his katanas, and approached him. "If you don't want to get hurt anymore, I'd suggest getting out of here." The man took his advice and turned tail.

Raph snorted. "Some leadah, leavin' his "friends" behind." Slinging an arm around Leo's shoulders, he continued. "I'd take ya over him any day of tha week, Leo. Even if ya are a pain in tha shell."

"Thanks, Raph. I'm touched."

"Um, guys? This is truly heartwarming and all, but we've got an injured woman on our hands," Don interjected. "We should get her to April's."

"You're right, Don. It looks like she took the shot in her side." Leo said, moving to kneel beside the woman. As he reached her, her head jerked up and her eyes widened at the sight of them. Already pale from blood loss, the woman turned even whiter. Before she could scream, Leo raised his hands carefully. "Just take it easy, we aren't going to hurt you. Can you tell me your name?"

The woman tried to back away, but stopped at the pain in her side. Looking down at her wound, she paused, and then glanced at Leo with a strange and calculating look in her eyes. She held out her right hand and spoke in a husky voice. "My name is Iganna."

"Leonardo," Leo said, stretching a three-fingered hand out to take hers. However, the instant he did, he felt a strange shock run through his body. He immediately felt exhausted and dizzy, and dropped her hand to hold his spinning head. _What's wrong with me?_ He wondered, missing the triumphant look in Iganna's eyes. _Must be tired from the fight_.

But while Leo tried to clear his head, he didn't notice a gang member stirring on the ground a couple feet away. When the punk saw the woman, he reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a gun. Aiming it at her, he yelled, "Die, you freak!" Grinning delightedly, he pulled the trigger.

And for the second time that night, a shot rang out, followed by a cry...

**A/N: And there we go! Chapter 2 is up, yay! And it's a whole lot longer! I really had wanted to get this out sooner, but it just didn't work out that way. Sorry. And yes, I am taking the almighty author license and leaving you with…a cliffhanger! Don't worry, I'll try not to do it that often, but I just had to at least once. Besides, I thought this chapter was long enough, and I've got to save some stuff for the next one. But I'll post that one soon, I promise. I just kind of write this as I go along, so planning was involved for this chapter. But I know what I want to do for the next chapter, so one way or another it will be out in less than a week. And as always, please point out any mistakes I've made. Thanks.**

**And now I'm going to make you wonder with teasing, suspenseful stuff. (I tried to make this kind of stuff obvious enough to be noticeable, but in case I didn't succeed, here are some helpers so people will be hooked. :D ) If you were bleeding and rescued by a quartet of five foot tall talking green turtles, would you calmly shake their hand? And why is the gang member aiming at a human, instead of a mutant turtle? Hmmm. :D And one more hint: 'Iganna' means something in a European language. (Whoever finds out what it means gets mad props. And a cookie. Get it? Computer, cookie? Hee hee hee. :D ) Oooo, the suspense! I'll let you find other inconsistencies and clues yourselves. Again, please review, and flames will be used to, um, light stuff on fire. Why? Because blatant pyromania is good, wholesome fun for the whole family:D (runs off to go play with matches)**

**(Leo steps in) Um…yeah. It seems that the author is currently having…an episode. We will encourage her to continue the story as soon as she's sane again.**

**(calliopechild runs at Leo with lit match) Leo! Friend!**

**(Don clotheslines the author with his bo staff)**

**(Leo sweatdrops) Thanks Don. (Turns back to the audience) Please have patience while the author regains consciousness. (Bows) Arigato.**


	3. Blood is Thicker Than Water

_**Disclaimer:** I am fully beginning to understand why having to constantly do this annoys people. Seriously, folks, I don't own the TMNT. (Obviously.) I'm not even claiming that I do. In fact, no one else on this site is either, probably. All we're doing is borrowing the characters and creating adventures for them in order to share ideas with other people. I mean, honestly, if I did own them, don't you think I'd have a nicer computer. :D And another thing; if I owned them, why would I be writing a story about them? Why not just make it a TV show episode and make hideous amounts of money off of it? Nope, I don't own them. Never have, and most certainly never will. Why? Well, think about it: if you owned a hugely successful and profitable TV show, with dozens of opportunities for merchandising and expansion, would you sell it? I know I wouldn't. Especially not to some teenaged hoodlum like myself. :D (Just in case anyone's curious, I'm not really a hoodlum. But it's a fun word nonetheless.) Anyways, there's my exceptionally drawn out little rant._

_Let us now move on to new and better (not to mention less long-winded) horizons!_

_I updated two days later! And it's another long chapter! Woo! Go me:D_

_(Note: The new character's name, "Iganno", was changed to "Iganna", for a couple reasons. One, the translation works better, and two, I like the sound of it better; it sounds more feminine and like an actual name.)_

_In this chapter, one can expect violence, angst, suspense, mutated turtles, and of course, all the expository goodness you can handle! And then some! XD Also, this is a chapter where the 'T' rating comes into play, especially for the language and violence. There are several bombs dropped in here, which means plenty of epithets, swear words, what have you. Also, this is a very bloody chapter, so be warned. And the swearing is kind of bad, but not as bad as it could be; I don't swear, so writing it was kind of weird for me, but it fits the story. So, yeah. You've been warned._

_Now on to the story! Enjoy:D_

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**Previously on "Bleeding Heart": (sorry, I've always wanted to say that. :D)**

_The woman tried to back away, but stopped at the pain in her side. Looking down at her wound, she paused, and then glanced at Leo with a strange and calculating look in her eyes. She held out her right hand and spoke in a husky voice. "My name is Iganna."_

"_Leonardo," Leo said, stretching a three-fingered hand out to take hers. However, the instant he did, he felt a strange shock run through his body. He immediately felt exhausted and dizzy, and dropped her hand to hold his spinning head. 'What's wrong with me?' He wondered, missing the triumphant look in Iganna's eyes. 'Must be tired from the fight.'_

_But while Leo tried to clear his head, he didn't notice a gang member stirring on the ground a couple feet away. When the punk saw the woman, he reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a gun. Aiming it at her, he yelled, "Die, you freak!" Grinning delightedly, he pulled the trigger._

_And for the second time that night, a shot rang out, followed by a cry…_

"AGH!" Leo screamed, clasping both of his hands over his plastron. The bullet had hit him almost square in the chest, burying itself in the upper regions of his stomach, and the pain was coming in waves.

Looking down at himself, he saw a gaping hole in his chest where the bullet had dug itself in, and a blast of dizziness and nausea caused him to drop to his side. He choked, coughing up blood and watching dazedly as it joined the ever-expanding pool forming in front of him. _How did this happen?_ He wondered numbly, the rushing of his blood pounding in his ears. _I could have sworn he was aiming at Iganna…_

Three voices yelled in unison at the sight of their brother falling, Don dropping his bag of equipment in shock. "LEO!"

"No, LEO!" Raph shouted. His rage took over him, and spinning around, he searched the alley for the gang member with the gun. Catching sight of him, he pulled out one of his sai. "YOU! You bastahd. You're tha one that did this to him!" he snarled. The man paled in the face of the turtle's anger, and he tried to bring the gun to bear again. But before he could, Raph hurled the sai, piercing the man through the heart. The man choked and shook, his body going limp as he bled to death.

Don was at Leo's side in a flash. He added his hands to his brother's, applying as much pressure as he could to the wound. But Leo's scream quickly brought his hands away. However, in the absence of the constant pressure, blood continued to flow from the gunshot wound. "Oh shell!" Don swore. "Raph! Get over here, now! Mikey, get the first aid kit out of my bag and help Iganna."

His youngest brother nodded and ran to the woman while his red-banded brother joined him. "What is it, Donnie?"

Don glanced at him while he removed his elbow and knee pads. "I need you to knock Leo out."

"Ya want me ta do what!"

Finishing with his pads, Don started on Leo's. "Knock him out! Use the pressure points Sensei taught us. With him in this much pain, I can't keep pressure on the wound if he's still conscious. And if I don't, he's going to bleed out."

"He just got shot! I can't knock 'im out!"

Don whipped his head around to face Raph. "Dammit, Raphael! Listen to me!" he snarled, finally losing his cool in the face of his oldest brother's situation. "If you don't knock him out so I can stop the blood flow, he's gonna die. Now just SHUT UP and DO IT!"

Raph was shocked at the intensity in his brother's eyes and voice. Donnie was always the calm turtle, and Raph had never seen him like this. But as Don's last words registered, Raph took a deep breath before turning to his older brother. "Leo. Hey, Leo. Can ya hear me, bro?" He watched as his older brother struggled to focus on him. The pain he saw reflected in his eyes chilled him. "Leo, I'm gonna knock ya out now, 'kay bro? Don's gonna get ya fixed up, and you'll be fine, okay?"

While Raph waited for a response, Don said brusquely, "He's in shock, and too far gone in the pain to hear you, Raph, let alone answer. It's now or never."

Raph nodded, then reached out and set his fingers on his blue-banded brother's neck. Leo instantly stiffened, then relaxed, his eyes closing and his hands dropping away from his plastron, only to be replaced seconds later with Don's. Holding an elbow pad in place, Don pressed firmly on the wound, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. His voice strained, he spoke to the hotheaded turtle. "I'm gonna try and stop the bleeding. We won't be able to move him until it's at least slowed, and I can't remove the bullet till we get him out of here. Call Casey and April, tell them to grab all the medical supplies they have available and get the van over here as fast as they possibly can. I'm gonna need your pads too, Raph," he said, discarding a blood-soaked pad and replacing it with a fresh one. Glancing over his shoulder, he added quietly in a softer tone, "I'm also going to need you to help Mikey."

Remembering his youngest brother and the woman, Raph turned around. The woman looked pale, but the bleeding was stopped and her side was bandaged; she would be fine for the time being. Mikey, however, was a different story. He was standing over the body of the man who shot Leo, and was wielding his nunchuks with a fury that almost scared Raph, striking the corpse again and again. Wincing at the dull thuds as wood hit flesh, Raph quickly gave his pads to Don and made his way to his brother's side. Grabbing Mikey's wrists, Raph struggled with him in an attempt to get him to lower his weapons.

"MIKEY! Mikey, let it go, bro. Mikey, it's over, it's done! Just let it go." Seeing his youngest brother's obvious agitation, he tried to calm him. "It's alright, bro. It's alright."

"BUT HE SHOT LEO!" Mikey cried, anger and fear distorting his voice. "He shot him! Leo didn't do anything, and he still shot him!"

"It's alright, Mikey," Raph soothed. "He's dead now; he ain't gonna hurt Leo no more."

"He already hurt him! Leo c-could die!" Mikey choked out. He dropped his nunchuks, exhaustion and worry overcoming him. Throwing his arms around Raph, he sobbed into his neck.

Raph returned the embrace, hugging his brother back. "Don't say that, Mikey. Don't you dare say that. Leo'll pull through, you'll see. He ain't gonna let somethin' like this keep 'im down. Remembah when Leo was attacked by da Foot and the Shredder? He came back from that, an' he can come back from this. We jus' gotta have some faith," Raph said.

Glancing over at his other two brothers, he hugged his brother tightly as Mikey continued to cling to him. "We jus' gotta have some faith," he repeated, more to reassure himself than Mikey. He rubbed the back of Mikey's shell, and was glad Mikey hadn't let go yet. Raph needed the comfort more than he wanted to admit. He was always the tough guy, but it was hard to see his unbreakable older brother like this. He knew, though, that it had to be even harder on Mikey. Raph and Mikey were really close, but Mikey had always looked up to Leo. He was Mikey's hero and idol, and he had always been his brothers' rock; to see him hurt like this was a hard blow to all of them.

Remembering Don's other request, Raph backed away from Mikey, grabbing his Shell Cell. "I gotta call Case an' April an' get them ovah here. Can you see if Donnie needs some help?"

Mikey took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. I'll be fine." He made his way over to the purple-banded turtle, taking special care to step on and kick any gang members that were in his way.

Raph chuckled, then dialed Casey's number.

"Yo. 'Dis is Casey." Casey Jones appeared in the screen of the Shell Cell, a distracted look on his face.

"Hey Case. Ya busy?" Raph asked.

Something in Raph's voice must have reached Casey, because suddenly all of the vigilante's attention was focused on him. "What's up, Raph? Somethin' wrong?"

"Yeah, somethin's wrong," Raph said. He took a deep breath, finding it hard to get the words out. "It…it's Leo. He…he got shot."

"Oh shit!" the voice on the other line swore.

Suddenly another voice joined Casey's. "What is it, Casey? What's the matter?"

Raph sighed with relief when he heard April. The fact that she and Casey were both together meant they could get here sooner. He listened as Casey told her the news, as well as her shocked whisper; "Oh god, Leo."

"What da hell happened, Raph? Is he okay?" Casey asked, turning back to the phone, then smacked himself on the head. "No, Jones ya idiot, of course he's not okay," he continued, berating himself. "Is it-is it bad, Raph?"

Looking behind him at his older brother, he watched Don and Mikey still working on him while Leo lay unconscious in a pool of his own blood. He didn't want to say it, but Raphael was an honest turtle if he was anything. "Yeah, Case. It's bad. I'll explain latah."

"What can I do? Do ya need any help?"

Raph snorted wryly and rolled his eyes, amused despite the situation. "Dat's th' understatement of da year, Jones. Yeah, we need help. Donnie wanted me ta get you an' April over here with the van. And grab all the medical stuff you can get your hands on, ya got it?" He heard rustling on the other end as April ran around gathering supplies.

Don called to his brother. "Tell them to be sure to get bandages, penicillin, and some painkillers. Morphine, if possible. If not, the strongest stuff they can find. And ask April to bring some extra clothes for Iganna, too, if she can."

Raph turned back to the screen. "Did'ja get all that?"

"Got it, Raph," April replied, taking the phone from an indignant Casey. "Tell Donnie I've got all of it, and we'll be there as soon as we can. Where are you guys?"

Glancing around him to get his bearings, Raph quickly gave them the street names. "Get here fast guys," he urged unsteadily. "Leo's…just get here fast."

"Five minutes," April promised. "Hang in there." The screen went blank.

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True to her word, five minutes later, April, Casey, and Casey's van skidded around the corner of the alley. Raph swore that those were the longest five minutes of his life. April and Casey jumped out, and April joined Don and Mikey with the supplies while Casey opened the back of the van. He and Raph cleared out the back of it, and then joined the others around Leo.

Raph was the first to break the silence. "How…is he, Donnie?"

Don looked up, exhaustion and worry clearly etched on his face. "He's not good, Raph. There's just…so much blood. And…but he's stable enough right now." Turning to April, he asked, "Hey April? Would it be alright if we brought Leo to your place? I know that hasn't turned out well in the past, but the truth is, I don't think he'd survive a trip to the lair. Not to mention that a sewer is no place for open wounds-"

April cut him off. "Donnie, of course you can bring him over! If you hadn't asked I would have offered. You guys are family, no matter what. After all, '_mi casa es su casa'_."

Don heaved a sigh of relief. "Thanks, April. You're a lifesaver," he said, then winced at the possible double meaning of his words. "Alright, Raph, I need your help getting Leo into the van. Mikey? You and April help Iganna into the van. Casey? I need you to grab my bag and the supplies." While everyone ran to get things taken care of, Raph joined Don by their motionless brother. "Okay Raph, I need you to grab Leo's arms and chest, I'll get his legs. Be as careful as you can not to disrupt his wound; I finally got the bleeding to slow, but it could start back up at any time," Don cautioned. Raph nodded, and they carefully lifted their fallen leader and settled him gently in the van, joining him in the back to keep him safe. As soon as everyone was settled, Don nodded to Casey. "Alright, Casey. Get us to April's place as quickly, and _carefully_, as you can."

"You got it, Donnie."

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As the van took off down the street, Raph turned to Don. "There's somethin' you ain't tellin' us, isn't there, Donnie?" he said quietly out of the others' earshot.

Don avoided meeting Raph's gaze. "What are you talking about, Raph?"

Raph growled under his breath. "Don't bullshit me, Donnie. I've lived wit' ya for 16 years, and I _know_ there's somethin' you ain't tellin' us. Now spill."

Don sighed and wiped his forehead with the back of one hand. Gazing at Leo, he spoke softly. "It's the bullet wound, Raph. Its location…the only real way it could have been in a worse spot would be if it hit him right in the chest, or in his heart. But it's terribly close to his chest as it is. And until I can look at him properly, I won't know if the bullet hit any internal organs. Not to mention the blood loss. There's been so much of it, it seems like the bullet hit something major. And it's still inside him. And if infection sets in, his body will be too weak from the blood loss to fight it. It…there's just so much that could go wrong...So much already _has_ gone wrong," he said, his voice breaking as he buried his face in his hands. "We should be at home, listening to you and Mikey fighting over the remote, and then breaking it for me to fix again. Leo should be breaking up the fight between you and Mikey, and yelling at us for interrupting his training, not lying here bleeding to death after getting shot by some punk in an alley!"

Raph put an arm around Don's shoulders. "Donnie, I know. I hate dis as much as you do. But there's no way Leo's gonna die. He's too strong, and too damn stubborn to go out dis way. Not here, not now; not like dis."

Don squeezed Raph's shoulder in silent thanks, then looked up as the van pulled to a stop. "We're here." Looking down at Leo, he continued. "Let's get him inside."

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**A/N: Bum bum bum! Yes, I admit it! I did it! I shot Leo! Well, not personally, but I got him shot. (Cowers and hides from the ravaging hordes of Leo fans) Hey, I'm not the only one who's done it. Besides, I love Leo too. (Peeks from behind barricade) Would it help if I said I'm sorry? (Looks at glares and hides again) Guess not. But at least he's not dead! And I know that not a whole lot happened this time, but hey, at least _something_ happened. And besides, if I'm able to update in another two days like I did for this chapter, the story will keep moving along. Also, reviews are great encouragement for me to update quickly…Hint hint. :D Yes, that _was_ a shameless plug for reviews. Why do you ask? Again, please let me know of any mistakes or inconsistencies with POV or whatever. And please review! Make me feel loved:D And as always, many thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far. You guys are great!**

**And a special note to BubblyShell22: I'm sorry I hurt Leo! But I will not make you cry any more, I promise. :D**


	4. Healing Hands

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (Blinks) Wow, that was a lot shorter than last time, huh:D_

_Anywho, renewed thanks to those who continue to review, especially to those who R&R each chapter. You guys rock!_

_Also, seeing as how I'm beginning to realize just how much of a commitment it is to start a story and update it consistently, I would like to take a moment to thank all my favorite authors out there for the hard work that they do. I really appreciate reading your stories, and thank you for making an effort to share your work with others. (I'd list all my favorite stories, but it would take way too long. :D) And to all the other readers out there, the next time you read a story that either makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you think, or does all three, leave even just a small "thank you" to let that author know that their work is appreciated. To all my favorite authors: thank you for your great stories. (And no, this isn't me trying to guilt people into reviewing; it's just that it's Friday, so I'm in a generous mood, and I'm taking the time to try and spread some happiness and such.)_

_Now enough with the mushy stuff, let's move on to the next chapter:D This one won't be as bloody as the last one, and it'll have more story-ish type stuff in it; you know, dialogue and plot happenings…Bah, just read it. :b_

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The door to April's apartment burst open as she rushed inside, turning on lights and moving things out of the way. She was quickly followed by Don and Raph bearing Leo, then Mikey and Casey, who led Iganna to a chair in the kitchen. Don and Raph set Leo down on the floor, with his head propped up on Raph's legs. Don continued to tend to Leo, checking his pulse and breathing, and after checking on the bleeding from his wound, reapplying pressure to it. While he did so, he continued his list of instructions.

"Mikey, see what you can make in the kitchen. If she can, I'd like Iganna to try and get something down. She'll need something in her stomach to replace the blood that she's lost."

The woman in question protested softly, the lilt of an accent apparent in her voice, "Really, that is unnecessary. I am fine, and I do not feel like eating at the moment. Please, tend to your brother; he is in greater need of your care than I am."

Don glanced at her, grateful for her concern. "Alright, but do you think you could manage some tea?" At her nod, he gave a tired smile. "Good. Mikey, whip up a pot if you could. And I'd like you to check Iganna's bandages again too, please."

"I'm on it, bro."

"April," Don said, turning his attention again to his oldest brother. "Do you have a portable table and some blankets?"

April looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I do. There's a fairly good sized one from a garage sale I had one time. And I've got spare blankets too, in case of company."

"Good. Can you tell Casey where they are so he can get them? I'll need your help for something else in a minute."

"Sure." Turning to the vigilante, she said, "The table and blankets are both in the hallway closet. _Don't break anything._"

Cringing, Casey went to do as he was told, mumbling under his breath. "Geez, can't a fellah get a break around here?"

"Next order of business: April, is your bathroom available? I mean, would we have the space to set up the table in there?"

"Sure Donnie; but what for?"

Glancing down at Leo, Don swallowed hard. "Because we're going to need to operate." Looking up at his family and friends with pain in his eyes, he explained. "The bullet's still in him. If I don't get it out, I can't accurately assess the damage and patch him up."

April paled slightly, but her face took on a determined look. "I'll go get everything set up." Intercepting Casey, she directed him to the bathroom, and the others could hear them preparing. A few minutes later, April returned to the living room. "We're ready, Don."

The purple-banded turtle looked up to meet Raph's gaze. "I need you to help me get him into the bathroom, Raph."

"You got it, Donnie."

The turtles carefully made their way into the bathroom and set Leo down on the table. As Raph turned to go, Don followed him into the hall and grabbed his arm. "Raph? One more thing."

"Just name it, Don."

"Go sit with Mikey. He's held it together remarkably well so far, but I don't think he's taking this well."

"Don't worry 'bout it. I'll watch after 'im." Pausing on his way out, Raph turned back to his younger brother. "Will…will Leo be alright?"

"I don't know yet, Raph. I'll do what I can, but…I don't know."

Thumping the brainy turtle on the back, Raph went to go find Mikey. "That's all we can ask, bro."

As Raph's shell retreated down the hall, Don gave a sigh and whispered softly to himself. "But you still expect miracles. All of you do." Looking back at the room that held his wounded brother, he continued in a tone tinged with heartbreak. "And I don't know if I can give you one this time…"

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When Don returned to the bathroom, he found that April was already prepared; she had washed up, and had her hair pulled back, and was wearing an old shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He also noticed that she had the first aid kit, extra supplies and some tools already laid out. Don quickly followed her example, lathering up his hands and forearms and vigorously scrubbing. Once he finished, he took his place beside Leo. April waited on the other side of the table, ready for whatever he asked. Glancing up at her, he flashed her a grateful smile.

"Thanks for everything, April. I don't know what we'd do without you."

"We haven't even started yet, Don; you can thank me later," April said. Returning the smile, she continued. "Besides, I'm sure you'd be fine even if I wasn't here."

Don shook his head. "I honestly doubt that, April." He set to work removing the blood-encrusted pads from Leo's plastron, as well as the now rust-colored sword strap that had been securing them. "Are the tools all sterilized?"

"Absolutely. I ran them all under steaming water for five minutes, and then dried them and cleaned them off with alcohol."

"Excellent. How about the penicillin and the morphine?"

April held up two syringes. "Check, and check." Before handing him the syringes containing the medicines, she looked up at Don. "Just so you know, Don, I filled these according to human standards. I don't know if the measurements are right for turt-um, you guys."

Taking the syringes from April, Don shook his head in admiration. "Ms. O'Neil, you never cease to amaze." He grinned as she blushed and waved aside the compliment. "And don't worry, this is perfect. I've studied all of our genetic and physical make-ups thoroughly; we're close enough to the qualifications of human anatomy that it'll be fine." Tilting Leo's head to the side, he carefully injected the penicillin, emptying it into his brother's bloodstream, quickly followed by the morphine. He then set aside the empty syringes and used pads. After a deep breath, he met April's gaze. "Okay, here we go. You ready?"

April looked down at Leo and gently rested a hand on his head. "As ready as I'll ever be," she said softly.

The purple-banded turtle reached across the table and squeezed her wrist. "I know how you feel, but the sooner we get this done, the better."

Composing herself, April gave a curt nod. "Let's do this."

Don grabbed a washcloth and dampened it, then carefully began cleaning off the blood that had clotted over Leo's wound. As soon as he removed the last of the clotting, blood began to seep out again rapidly.

"Aw, shell," Don swore. He snatched up a fresh washcloth, renewing pressure on the injury. Without looking up from his work, he directed a question at April. "Have you got a knife and some forceps in your bag of tricks?"

"You betcha." April fetched the forceps, then went in search of the knife. "But, Don…what's the knife for? Don't we just need to remove the bullet?"

"I wish it were that easy, April. But-," He lifted up the washcloth to show April the entry point. "The bullet didn't go in straight; it went in at an angle." He checked the state of the bleeding and, satisfied with its waning, he wiped away the newest accumulation and set aside the washcloth. "Knife?"

"Right here," April said, handing him the tool carefully.

Don took a deep breath and offered up a silent prayer: _"To whatever gods there are for teenage mutant ninja turtles, please don't let me mess this up."_ He then set the knife to Leo's plastron…and froze.

_Oh my god…what am I doing?_ Don screamed at himself silently, sweat rolling down his face though he shook with cold chills. _I'm about to cut Leo open! I'm not a surgeon, I'm an engineer. What if I get it wrong? What if I kill him!_

"…on. Don. DONNIE. **DONATELLO!**" The yell jerked him back to his senses. He looked up, realizing that April had been shouting his name. Don looked back down at Leo, at his hand holding the knife, and then back up at April again. Turning haunted eyes on her, he shook his head and dropped his hand.

"I can't do this, April," he whispered.

"What do you _mean_ you can't do this? Don, you have to do this!"

I can't, April! Do you know what I'm doing? I'm about to cut open my own brother! And I'm not a doctor, I'm a turtle! I have no experience with this! I've set bones, relocated shoulders, sewn up cuts, and bandaged everything from burns to bruises. But I've never done this before; WHAT IF I KILL HIM!"

"Donatello, you listen to me and you listen good," April said firmly, fire in her eyes. "You are standing there beside your brother trying to _save his life_. That knife in your hand? You're about to use it to remove the bullet that is killing him." Holding up her hand as Don started shaking his head violently and opened his mouth to protest, she continued. "No, I'm not finished. Don, no one expects you to be perfect. You're the best your family has, and they're counting on you. _Leo_ is counting on you. And do you know why they're expecting you to save Leo? Do you?" As Don paused, then shook his head again, April lifted his chin to meet his gaze. "_Because you've never let them down._"

Don froze again. He turned the statement over in his mind, and realized, to his amazement, that April was right.

"That's why they have faith in you, because you've never failed before. And even if you fail now, they won't blame you, because they always trust you to do whatever you can. You're their best hope, and the reason they always come to you is because they know you're there for them and that you will do your best to help them." Gently picking up Don's wrist, she set it back on Leo's plastron. "Prove them right again, Donnie. Save your brother's life."

The turtle grabbed April's hand and pressed a thankful kiss to the back of it before whispering a heartfelt "Thank you." He then returned his attention to Leo, and gathering all of his courage, sunk the blade into Leo's plastron.

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(A/N: Wouldn't you all have hated me if I left it at that:D)

Despite April's words, despite his own awareness of the necessity of this action, Don was convinced that the feeling of the knife slicing into Leo was not one he would soon, or ever, forget. But even as the blood welled up and he cringed, April was there, dabbing away the liquid and whispering encouragement. When Don felt the tip of the knife connect with something, he careful removed the blade. Setting the knife aside gratefully, he looked up at April. "Forceps?"

She handed them to him, giving his hand an extra squeeze. "You're doing wonderfully, Donnie. We're halfway there."

Don nodded and swallowed hard. He then went to remove the bullet, but the feeling of his brother's flesh parting under the forceps drove him to the toilet as he brought up everything he'd eaten recently. As he continued to retch, he felt a calming hand on his shell.

"Donnie, it's alright. It's almost over."

"It's too much, April. It…I can't…I just can't."

April handed him a clean washcloth to wipe his mouth with and hardened her voice as she hauled him up from the floor. "Donatello, pull yourself together. I know that this is unbelievably hard for you. But it's halfway done. You have to be strong just a little longer; for Leo. Then I promise, you can vomit till you turn green…er." An encouraging smile on her face, she pressed a kiss to his forehead and led him gently back over to the table.

Don grabbed the forceps and prepared himself again. The second time was no better than the first, the bile still rising in his throat; but he wasn't sick again. _Though_, he mused darkly to himself, _that's probably because I have nothing left to bring up_. Maneuvering the implements carefully, he reached the bullet and quickly removed it. Staring at the small piece of metal in front of him, he wondered how something so small could cause so much damage. In the next instant he hurled the bullet away from him, sending it flying into the trash can. Don turned back to see April holding a compress to the wound. She flashed him a tired smile, and quipped softly, "Congratulations, 'Doctor' Don."

The turtle smiled back with all the thanks he could. "Thank you, Nurse April." Don frowned then at the pallor of Leo's skin. "The blood loss must be getting to his system; I'm gonna go get a transfusion from Raph, since he's the only one compatible with Leo. Do you have any spare syringes?"

April nodded to the sink. "There's some fresh ones there on the counter. I'll get him bandaged up."

Don grabbed one and made his way into the living room. As soon as he set foot in the room, four heads jerked up at the sight of him. Looking down at himself, he realized he was still covered in blood, and probably looked like road kill warmed over. Part of his mind clamored that this was all so wrong, but he shushed that part absently. _I'll freak out and break down later,_ he thought numbly. _Don't have time to right now_.

"Donnie? Is he-?"

Don interrupted tersely. "He's fine. I'll fill you in later."

"But what happened? Is-"

Don ignored the question and made his way over to Raph, holding up the needle. "I need some blood from you, Raph."

His older brother swallowed hard at the sight of the needle, but sat down and bared his arms, a determined glint in his eyes. "Pick a vein, bro."

The brainy turtle expertly drew the blood, then covered the vein with a Band-aid. "Thanks," he said, then turned to leave.

Raph jumped up and grabbed Don's arm, swaying slightly as he did so. "Where do ya think you're goin', Donnie? Ain't ya goin' to tell us about Leo!"

Don shook off Raph's hand and kept walking. "Not right now."

"What'dya mean, 'not right now'! Don, you tell us or I'll-"

His younger brother whipped around, his stony face mirrored by the cold, blank look in his eyes. "I'm only saying this one more time, Raph. _NOT. RIGHT. NOW_."

Don then left the room, leaving two very indignant turtles and two very confused humans behind.

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Ten minutes later, Raph met Don in the hall before he took two steps out of the "operating room."

"How is he, Donnie? How's Leo?"

Don sighed, exhaustion and strain covering his features. "He's as good as can be expected right now, Raph. We were able to get the bullet out, and he's bandaged up. The bleeding's mostly stopped, but he just lost so much. The transfusion helped, but the most that can be said is that he's out of danger for now. I've done all I can; it's up to him now." Rubbing his face with the back of one hand, he asked wearily, "How's Mikey?"

Raph seemed unsatisfied with the diagnosis, but he glanced back at the kitchen and answered with a sigh of his own. "He…he ain't doin' that good, bro. He's holdin' it tagether, but I can tell he's worried. An' scared." Shifting his gaze to the side, Raph rubbed one of his arms as he added gruffly, "So'm I fer dat matter." As he focused on Don again, he asked cautiously, "And what about you, bro? How are you doin'?"

Don was about to give his standard reply, but couldn't do it; it was all too much. He instead gave a shaky laugh. "Me? How am I doing?" He laughed harder, a slight note of hysteria creeping into his voice. "I'm doing fine! Just fine! Why wouldn't I be!" Desperation filled his tone as tears started rolling down his face. "I'm not doing fine, Raph, I just cut open my oldest brother. _I just took a knife to one of my own family!_" Glancing down at himself, he continued as shaking racked his body. "And I'm…I'm covered in Leo's blood…Oh, god. God, Raph, there's just so much _blood_…so much blood." Don choked on the words as he buried his face in his hands and sobbed.

Raph was frozen in place. He had never seen Don lose his cool like this. In every situation, Don was always the one to keep a level head; even when Leo snapped (which was rare) Don held it together. Seeing him falling apart like this worried Raph almost more than Leo's condition did. Gathering his brother in a gentle hug, he rubbed his shell.

"Don…Donnie, man. Look bro, don't cry. It'll be fine; like I said earlier, Leo'll pull through. Ya did everything ya could, bro; it'll be fine."

"But what if it's not enough?" Don asked brokenly. "Everyone always expects me to be able to fix everybody up; whenever someone's hurt, it's always 'just ask Don, he'll bandage it up, give some scientific or medical explanation, and everything will be fine'. But I'm not a doctor, Raph. I'm an engineer! My strength is machines, not people."

Raph pulled back to look at his younger brother. Staring into his eyes, Raph saw clearly the worry Don had always carried, but that no one had ever noticed. Raph, like his brothers, had never realized the burden Don had to bear as the "medic" of the team. When he thought about it, it made sense to him now why Don and Leo always got along so well; the both carried such large responsibilities in their family. Leo was the leader and was responsible for keeping his brothers out of harm; but when they did get hurt, it was always Don who was expected to make things right. Raph felt a sudden surge of anger; what right did he and the others have to expect so much from their brothers? He shook his head mentally and pulled his brother back into a hug.

Don leaned into the embrace, desperately needing the comforting. As his sobs gradually slowed, he heard a soft voice say something that nearly knocked him over.

"I'm sorry, Donnie."

This time it was Don that pulled back, blinking as he did so. "Say what?"

Raph met his gaze seriously. "I said I'm sorry, bro. We've got no right expectin' you ta be able ta fix everythin'. I promise we'll be better about it from now on. An' I swear, Donnie, none of us'll evah blame ya if Leo doesn't pull through dis." Seeing Don open his mouth, Raph cut him off. "I'm not sayin' he won't make it, 'cuz he will, or else he'll be answerin' ta me. But I'm serious, Donnie. We'll ease up on ya."

Sniffing and wiping his eyes, Don gave a teary smile. "Thanks Raph. I know that you guys don't mean to push, it just gets hard sometimes. But I wouldn't trade being needed by you guys for anything."

Thumping Don on the shell, Raph smiled back. "An' we wouldn't trade ya either, brainiack. Now come on, let's get ya cleaned up."

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**A/N: And another one bites the dust! And it's the longest one yet! Speaking of which, I've got some questions for you guys. How are the chapters, especially this one? Is it too long? Am I writing a bunch, but not really moving the story along enough? I know everyone likes long chapters, but I'm not sure if I'm having enough happen in each chapter. I was thinking about continuing the chapter after Don and Raph's confrontation, but I figured you guys would be alright with it as is, especially since it's not a cliffhanger. Now I'm wondering if I'm making the chapters not long enough and not getting anywhere, or too long and trying to cram too much in. (Is there such a thing as a too long chapter:D) Please let me know what you think; I'd really appreciate the input.**

**This chapter was a lot more emotionally-fixated than action-fixated, but I still think it's important. This is kind of how I think the turtles would react under this kind of situation, especially Don, if he'd finally had more than he could take. And we see the (slightly) softer side of our favorite red-banded turtle too. Always a treat. :D I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. And as always, hideous amounts of gratitude to everyone who's R&R'd "Bleeding Heart" so far; heck, thanks to those of you who just read it. Please keep 'em coming, and I'll do my best to do the same with the chapters.**

**And I absolutely PROMISE the next chapter will have more happen. There will actually be some action, and things will move along. I've been looking at how much I've written so far, and I'm thinking 'Dang. That's IT! All that's happened is they went on patrol, met Iganna, Leo got shot, and they're at April's place! WTF? Why am I so slow!' But then I look at it, and I think it's alright, because the story wouldn't be as good if it just rushed right through everything. But I'm still going to pick things up a bit, 'cause _I'm_ getting tired of nothing happening in these chapters.**

**Anywho, R&R, but do not flame, please! Adios!**


	5. Secret Council

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Whoever told you or suggested to you that I do is a lying, raving lunatic._

_I do, however, own several very nice pairs of socks._

_More moving along-ness this time around, so "woo!" for that. Incredible thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, especially those who reviewed this last chapter and answered my questions about chapter length and such. It was greatly appreciated, and if I knew where you lived, I'd give you all cookies! Seeing as how I don't, though, instead you guys get computer cookies! See? () Mmmm, cookies…_

_Also, special thanks to: **Jerico Cacaw, Oni Mathier, coldsunshin, Tewi, BubblyShell22, Pi90katana, and Digmon Girl** for reviewing the story. You guys are what keep me writing! And several of you gave me some great input about the chapters, and I really appreciate it! To those of you who consistently review each chapter, you're awesome, and it means a lot to me. :D_

_And now behold all the glory, wonder, and special-ness that is Chapter 5!_

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After Don washed off the blood from the surgery, and Raph spent a few tight-lipped minutes staring at Leo, they reentered the hall with April. But before they advanced two feet, Don faltered and stopped.

Raph felt his brother leave his side, and glanced back over his shoulder. "What's up, Donnie?"

Don was standing a couple steps behind them, his eyes on his feet and tears evident in his voice. "I can't do it, Raph. I can't go in there and face them. I can't tell them he's going to be okay, or any of the things they want to hear; I don't even know if they'd be true. This is the worst he's been hurt ever, and I-I…I just can't do it."

Raph stayed where he was, unsure of what to do. Here was another glimpse for him of what it felt like to be standing in Don's shell, to be the "medical" turtle. The only thing everyone expected of Raph was for him to be the hothead and the first one in a fight. He didn't know if he'd have the guts to always be the one to tell everyone else how bad someone was doing. And despite his knowledge of Don's currently fragile emotional state, he still wanted Don to do it, not wanting that responsibility. It was April who saved him.

"It's okay, Donnie. I'll tell them." The gratitude in the brainy turtle's eyes told the redhead she'd said the right thing. "You've been through enough tonight. I was there too; I can tell everyone how he's doing. Why don't you go get some rest? The second door down the hall is an extra bedroom."

"Thanks, April. I'll see you guys in a bit." Don moved off down the hall slowly, his shoulders bent under a still-heavy load.

As the door shut, Raph turned to April. "Listen, April…thanks," he managed gruffly.

The redhead faced him with a tired smile. "It's alright, Raph. I'm glad to do it for him. Seeing Leo like that…it was awful." Tears filled her eyes. "I've never been so scared for him in my life. And I've only known you guys for a year or two. But Don…tonight was horrible for him." She wiped her eyes and took a couple deep breaths to calm herself. "No matter how hard it is for me to do this, it'd be ten times worse for Don, having to relive all of that again. If I can spare him from that, I will." Squaring her shoulders, she continued down the hall, Raph falling into step beside her. "Let's go give them the news."

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Mikey sat at the kitchen table, staring at his hands, his mind going over what April had just told them.

"_Leo's still unconscious, but that's to be expected; we just have to hope he doesn't go into a coma. Don and I were able to get the bullet out, but…there was a lot of bleeding. Fortunately, we didn't find any extensive internal damage, and the transfusion from Raph helped. But the only thing we can do now is keep an eye on him and hope he pulls through."_

After giving the news, April had called Master Splinter. Casey left shortly after that, offering to go pick the turtles' sensei. Meanwhile, the rest of them had spent the time following the announcement sitting silently in the apartment, each lost within their own thoughts. April seemed to be the only one still able to function; she tended to Iganna, cleaned up the bathroom, and checked on Leo and Don. The other two turtles were left with nothing to occupy them other than worrying about their eldest brother.

Mikey laid his face in his hands, a choked sob working its way out of his throat. _Why Leo?_ He wondered miserably. _Why did it have to be Leo who got hurt? Wasn't getting attacked by the Shredder and the Foot enough? Why does this keep happening?_ A gentle hand was laid on his arm, drawing him out of his despair. As he looked up, he saw Iganna sitting next to him, compassion on her face.

Remembering her injury, he glanced down at the bandages on her side. When he affirmed that very little blood stained the dressing, he met her gaze again. "How're you doing, Iganna?"

A gentle smile crossed her face. "I am fine, Michelangelo. The bullet only grazed my side. Your brother needs your prayers and concern far more than I do."

The mention of Leo caused Mikey to lower his gaze back down to the table. He had not yet gone into the bathroom to check on his brother. The memories of the last time Leo's life was in danger still haunted him; he remembered well how hard it had been to see Leo beaten and frail. Mikey had already watched his brother get shot, and he didn't think he could stand to see him injured so badly again. Even though he was the youngest, he always tried to be as strong as his brothers. If Don and Raph could handle this, so could he. Swiping at the new tears in his eyes, Mikey turned back to the woman at his side.

"So, Iganna, do you live in the Big Apple, or are you just visiting?"

"I only just arrived in New York this month. I am staying near Central Park for a while to see how city life suits me."

"Suburban girl, huh?" His eyes lit up at the thought of showing a tourist around and some of his energy returned to his voice. "I could show you the movie place! Ooo! And the pizza place! You gotta see it; they make a pizza fit for a king! Or…" he chanced a sly glance at Raph before continuing, "a Battle Nexus champion!"

"Mikey…" Raph growled warningly. His tone lacked the normal threat, though, for they were all glad for a lightening of the mood.

"Hey, you could come visit us at the Lair and I could show you my trophy! It's big and shiny and it makes Raph jealous." Waving a three-fingered hand at his older brother, he quipped, "See? The dude's green with envy."

His brother groaned at the pun. "Can it, bonehead." Focusing on the woman beside Mikey, he narrowed his eyes slightly. "So what's yer story?" Ever since Karai had come into their lives, Raph doubted his eldest brother's taste in women.

Iganna sat back, meeting Raph's glare evenly. "I was born in Canada, and spent the first eighteen years of my life there. Then, after my eighteenth birthday, I decided to move to the United States. There were more…opportunities for living here than there were in my hometown. After looking around for a few months, I settled down in Maine. It was near enough that the environment felt like home, but far enough that no one knew me."

For some reason, the woman's words and tone caused Raph's spine to tingle. He even imagined his hackles would be rising, if he had hackles. _Can mutated turtles have hackles? What da shell ARE hackles?_ Shaking the thoughts from his head, his focused his gaze on Iganna. "What da shell is that suppose'ta mean?"

The woman jerked her eyes up to Raph's, a panicked look flashing in her eyes before she ducked her head and replied quickly, "I mean, I meant, I-I would be far enough from home that I would be forced to depend on myself; I would have to be independent."

Raph's eyes narrowed several more degrees; there was no way that he bought her excuse. His eyes darted to meet Mikey's, and he saw to his surprise that his normally comedic brother seemed serious. He watched as Mikey gave an almost imperceptible nod in response to his unspoken question: _Did you catch that too?_ Mikey then turned back to Iganna, falling back into his normal, charismatic persona.

"Geez, bro, lay off! She's just spreading her wings; you know, like _some_ mutated turtles I know, goin' topside when we're not supposed to. 'Cept _she_ doesn't get punished with chores from Sensei."

The red-banded turtle was confused by the change, but suddenly understood; his youngest brother didn't want Iganna to know that they were suspicious of her.

He played along, giving a disdainful snort. "I don't know what yer talkin' about, Mikey. That was one time; I ain't the one that gets caught every time I go topside without permission. If I remember correctly, shell-for-brains, _you_ are tha graceful one that managed ta let everyone know when you were "sneakin'" back into da Lair last month." He was gratified to see Iganna relax as he continued the bantering.

Mikey cringed at the memory. "Don't remind me; Sensei kicked my shell over that. I still don't see why I had to clean all the weapons for a week over one little pizza run."

Raph raised an eye ridge. "It was in da middle of the day, bonehead."

"Oh, right." The youngest turtle shrugged. "Well, the Teen Titans Marathon was on, and as everyone one knows, the Turtle Titan must have proper nourishment for such an occasion. Sensei just doesn't understand the amazing pie of joy that is a large pepperoni pizza!"

"On the contrary, Michelangelo," a calm voice interrupted wryly, "I too understand the allure a good pizza. However, I also understand the importance of _stealth_ to a _Ninja_. A lesson you would do well to learn yourself, my son."

"Sensei!" Both turtles jumped out of their seats to greet their master.

"I am glad to see you too, my sons. But I wish now to see Leonardo; where is he? And where is your brother Donatello?" The Ninja master watched as the happy smiles slowly faded from his sons' faces, replace by masks of worry and sadness. He had known in his heart that Leonardo had been attacked, but not the extent of his injuries. And though he sought to remain calm, the fact that his sons' spiritual energies were in such a state of turmoil began to concern him. "Come, my sons, take me to them; Mr. Jones has informed me of Leonardo's condition since our departure of the Lair, but I wish to see him myself."

Raph looked over his shoulder at the way to the bathroom and sighed. He hadn't seen Leo since they'd brought him to April's place, and he had to admit that despite his fear and April's assurances that Leo was safe for now, he wanted to see his older brother. "This way, Mastah Splintah." The trio stopped by the room Don occupied, and after he awoke and greeted their sensei, they entered the bathroom.

Sorrow immediately filled Splinter's eyes at the sight that awaited them. "Oh, my son…"

Leo was lying on the "operating table," horribly silent and still. His chest and stomach, nearly his whole plastron, were covered with bandages, which were already tinged with scarlet. And his skin, normally a bright, healthy green, was now a pale, sickly color that worried Splinter. He quickly crossed the distance between the door and the table, and laid a gentle hand on his son's shoulder.

"Leonardo…Leonardo, my son, can you hear me?" The lack of response worried the old rat; why did his son not answer?

"He's not conscious, Master Splinter," Don told him softly. "He was knocked out, so he's not answering you. He's currently in a deep sleep, both from the blood loss and the aftereffects of Raph knocking him out."

The turtles watched as their sensei moved his hand to Leo's head and closed his eyes. They remained silent, for they knew that Splinter was trying to reach their brother through his mind. It was a normal occurrence whenever any of them were hurt, and it let Splinter determine the exact extent of their injuries. What they weren't prepared for was Splinter's reaction: their sensei's eyes jerked open and his hand fell from Leo's forehead.

"Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo; tell me what has happened."

The three brothers exchanged confused glances; neither could remember hearing their sensei this agitated before. Raph stepped forward and related the story to Splinter.

"…And that's how we ended up here," he finished. Taking in the anxiety of their teacher and father, he hesitantly asked, "Mastah Splintah? What's goin' on?"

The old ninja sighed. "I am concerned for your brother's well-being, Raphael. I cannot sense his mind at all."

Mikey paled. "What do you mean, Sensei? He's not-"

"No, Michelangelo," Splinter assured him quickly, "your brother is still with us. But something is blocking my contact with him on a mystical level. I sensed a dark force of a supernatural nature surrounding him earlier, and this carries the same feeling." He shook his head. "I will meditate on this later; for now I wish to thank Miss O'Neil and Mr. Jones for their aid. I would also like to meet the young woman you have brought here."

"About that, Sensei," Mikey began, "she's really not that bad. I mean, she totally freaked when she first saw us, but who the shell wouldn't? But she's been really worried about Leo, and the chick's been really cool about the whole "giant, mutated turtle" thing. She hasn't even mentioned ratting us out…oops, sorry Sensei, " he finished, embarrassed.

"It is alright, Michelangelo. One must wonder, however, as to the reason why our guest is so, as you say, "cool" with our unusual appearances," Splinter said softly.

"Whadda ya mean, Sensei?"

"Never mind, Michelangelo. We will talk later. For now, honor demands that we greet our guest."

The ninja master calmly led the way into the kitchen. He slowly approached Iganna's chair and, leaning on his walking stick, bowed to her. "My name is Hamato Splinter, my child. I wish to extend my gratitude for your acceptance of my family."

To the turtles' surprise, Iganna's reaction to a four foot talking rat was nearly the same as her reaction to them: momentary surprise, and then the right hand offered for a handshake. "My name is Iganna Triolini. It's an honor to meet you, Spli-um, sir," she finished awkwardly, unsure of how to address the venerable figure before her.

Splinter reached forward to take the proffered hand, but when his paw was inches from her hand, he paused. Only his three sons behind him saw the small twitch of his tail, which had always signaled concern or anger in the past. Their confusion grew when their sensei, rather than shaking the woman's hand, instead patted her on the arm and proceeded to bow again. "You may call me Master Splinter, and the honor is mine, Miss Triolini."

The glint of anger in Iganna's eyes as she dropped her hand was almost too brief to be seen, but the turtles had spent the last sixteen years of their lives sharpening their senses. Mikey, never wanting to be left out of the loop, leaned over to Raph and whispered, "Okay…what the shell was that all about?"

His older brother shook his head slightly. "Got me, Mikey." The two turned to look at Don, who shrugged. The fact that their brainy brother was also in the dark about the situation concerned, rather than comforted, the two turtles. But at that moment, Splinter's words caught their attention.

"…I am indeed glad that your injury is a minor one, Miss Triolini. If you will excuse us, I wish to speak with my sons about their brother."

The woman's usual gracious smile was back in place. "Of course, Master Splinter. I am very glad that I got to meet you."

As the rat slowly left the room, Don, Raph, and Mikey followed behind, struggling to hide their confusion. Once they reached the bathroom, Splinter sat down on the chair by Leo's table with a weary sigh, while his other sons positioned themselves around the room. Don was the first to break the silence.

"Master Splinter, I don't mean to pry or anything, but what's going on?"

Splinter looked up, meeting all of his sons' gazes sharply. "Why don't you tell me what you believe is amiss, my sons?"

The three younger turtles exchanged confused glances. "What do you mean, Sensei?" Mikey ventured carefully.

"You all seem convinced that something is not right; why do you feel this way?"

"Well, one thing that was kinda weird was when you didn't shake Iganna's hand, Sensei," Mikey pointed out. "Didn't you like her?"

"I shall share with you my opinion of Miss Triolini later, Michelangelo. Raphael, Donatello; did you witness anything that concerned you?"

"Iganna did seem unusually upset when you didn't shake her hand, Master Splinter," Don mused. "Although I'm not sure why."

"And you, Raphael? Did nothing of our guest's actions disturb you?"

The red-banded turtle folded his arms, a suspicious glare coming to his features. "Now dat ya mention it, Sensei, there is somethin' that's been buggin' me. How come she ain't freaked out by us? I mean, shell, even April an' Case were when they met us. An' all she does is shake Leo's hand like it's every day she meets giant talkin' turtles. So why the shell ain't she scared?"

"Language, Raphael," their teacher reproved mildly.

"Sorry, Sensei. And another thing; when Mikey asked her why she was in New York, she said 'cause no one knew her here. That ain't the kinda thing people say, an' I ain't buyin' the line about bein' "independent," eithah."

"And all this you have noticed? Nothing else?"

Raph and Mikey shook their heads, but Don had a thoughtful look on his face. "Actually, Master Splinter, there is one more thing."

"Yes, Donatello?"

"Well, it might be nothing," the brainy turtle warned them. "But, when we first met Iganna, before Leo…got shot," he said, choking slightly on the words, "when he shook hands with her, he, well, he looked…strange."

Splinter's gaze was focused on Don with an unnerving intensity. "Strange? What exactly do you mean, my son?"

"Well, he looked like he felt really dizzy. Right after he touched her, he grabbed his head like he was exhausted or had a headache. But the fight hardly lasted three minutes, and Leo wasn't even breathing hard. And after they shook hands, Iganna was smiling," his family watched as a curious look crossed Don's face. "I didn't think about it until now, what with being so worried about Leo, but now it seems odd; if she just got shot at, and met us, why would she be smiling? I mean, other than us taking care of the gang members, there wasn't anything to really be happy about." Breaking off his musings, he returned his teacher's stare. "What are you getting at, Master Splinter?"

Splinter sighed. "Michelangelo, will you check the hall and close the door, please?" The orange-banded turtle silently obeyed, peering down the hall, and signaling that they were alone as he carefully shut the door. Splinter continued in a solemn tone. "I believe that our guest is not quite who she claims to be." Raising a paw to still his sons' interjections, he continued. "When I went to shake Miss Triolini's hand, I sensed from her the same dark energy that I felt threatening Leonardo earlier this evening."

"WHAT!" All three turtles were shocked by the revelation. Raph was the first to reclaim himself.

"I knew there was somethin' screwy about dat broad," he snarled. "I swear, if she's the reason Leo got shot, I'm gonna-"

"You will do nothing, Raphael," Splinter snapped. "An enemy one does not know is the most dangerous enemy one can have. Until we know more, we will act as though these happenings are merely coincidence. Donatello, I would like you to find out anything you can about Miss Triolini by, as you say, "surfing the Web". And remember, my sons, be prepared for anything."

Raph bowed before heading for the door. "You don't have ta worry 'bout that, Sensei. Anyone who messes wit' our family goes at tha top of tha list; we'll find out what she's up to," he assured his master.

As he left the room, neither his brothers nor his sensei heard what he growled under his breath.

"An' when we do, she'll be answerin' ta _me_."

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**A/N: Ooo, the plot thickens! Cue the foreboding music! BUM BUM BUM:D So now things are starting to come together a little bit, even though this wasn't the most action-packed of chapters. But some more of the plot is showing up, and hopefully you all are getting curious now. And I know you guys are missing the Leo action, but trust me, he'll be in the next chapter, so don't worry.**

**Let me know what you think of this chapter; for some reason I had some trouble writing it, but overall I'm pretty happy with it. Also, how did I do on Mikey? I never realized it before, but he's the hardest turtle to write for, 'cause he's just all over the place. I think I did an alright job though, but input would be greatly appreciated. And apologies for this chapter being out so late; school and creativity have not been kind this week, and I haven't been able to get as much done as I would have liked. And with next week being exams, I won't be able to get the next chapter up until after Thursday. . Arg. But I promise I'll be doing my best to pick up the pace a little and churn out some more chapters during Christmas break.**

**And the final note, concerning last Sunday's TMNT episode: LEO'S BACK:D I'm so happy! I haven't liked him being all "GRRR" and everything, and when he attacked Master Splinter I went "Holy crap! No he didn't!" Unfortunately, though, tomorrow's episode is an old one. (Tear) But Leo is back to his old self, at least a little, so happy yay-ness for that! And I ordered the DVD of TMNT with the episodes "Shredder Strikes Back 1 & 2" and "Tales of Leo". I'm soo excited to actually get to see them, 'cause all I've seen is "Tales of Leo", and I can't even remember if I've seen the whole thing. So here's hoping it gets here soon!**

**Thanks for reading, and please R&R! Flames shall not avail you, for I am flame retardant! (Checks burn scars from pan and toaster) Well, maybe not. ;; Anyways, this is calliopechild, signing off. Bye!**


	6. He's Awake!

_**Disclaimer:** The TMNT are owned by Eastman and Laird, not me and myself. Not even 'I' gets any of the action!_

_Alright folks, I'm back! I am writing this (the disclaimer part) on Thursday, the first day of Christmas Break. Anyways, the past week has been nuts, what with scrambling to get AP English assignments done and studying for exams, but it's over! I finally made it! I CAN SLEEP NOW! I HAVE FREE TIME! XD YAY! So now I'm going to do my best to keep putting out some new chapters for you folks._

_To everyone who has read, and/or reviewed my story, bundles of thanks to you! I love you guys for all the help and support that you've given me. And to those I may have scared with my ranting, don't worry, I'm practically harmless._

_Now, behold Chapter Six! (Are you beholding yet?)_

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Though it took several hours of arguing and required him to try every tone from cajoling to stern, Splinter finally managed to get his sons to bed. Casey agreed to return home, as there was now a decided lack of space in April's place; he announced that he would be back in the morning, and Splinter was glad for the warning. Iganna would stay in the extra bedroom, while the three brothers camped out in the living room. Master Splinter, despite his sons' pleas, had decided to spend the night in the bathroom beside Leo. His need to be near to his son outweighed his fatigue and his other sons' arguments.

"But Master Splinter, you need your rest too," Don protested, well used to his role as caretaker of the family's health. "Leo should be alright for now, and, well, not to be disrespectful or anything, but-you're not as young as you used to be, Sensei." Realizing what he had just said, Don's eyes widened in horror. He quickly bowed, apologies tumbling from his mouth. "I-I'm sorry, Master Splinter! I mean Sensei. I didn't mean to call you old. Not that I did! I just, I-"

Raph and Mikey sniggered quietly as they watched their normally reserved brother lose his cool as he dug himself further and further into a hole. Fortunately, Splinter was in a generous mood and saved his son from himself.

"Enough, my son," he said wryly, raising a paw to silence his son's ramblings. "I appreciate your concern, but I wish to stay with Leonardo. I desire someone to stay with him through the night, and you and your brothers and Ms. O'Neil, not to mention Miss Triolini, all need to rest." At the sight of his second oldest son opening his mouth, Splinter continued quickly to forestall any other comments. "Raphael, I will hear no more discussion on this subject. My sons, Miss Triolini, I will see you in the morning. Miss O'Neil, I thank you for your gracious hospitality." With that he bowed and made his way slowly and serenely to the bathroom.

Raph growled, gripping the handles of his sai. "I hate it when he does that."

"Does what?" Mikey asked.

"Overrides him that easily, I expect," Don explained calmly while setting up the sleeping area. "If it was Leo, Raph would just argue with him till he got what he wanted; but with Sensei it's a different story."

"Yeah, 'cause Sensei'd knock him on his shell," the orange-banded turtle joked. As the trio settled in for the night, he cast a worried glance towards the bathroom; light shone out softly from beneath the door, but no sound could be heard from within. "Do…d'you think Leo'll be ok, Donnie?"

Following his brother's gaze, the brainy turtle sighed. "I hope so, Mikey. There's nothing else we can do tonight; what he needs most now is rest so his body can heal. We'll see how he's doing in the morning." Don noticed the look in Mikey's eyes, the distress that had replaced his younger brother's normal look of mischief. "What is it, Mikey?"

"It's worse this time," the normally energetic turtle explained softly. "The last time Leo got hurt this bad, he was in bad shape, but Sensei said part of that was 'cause his spirit was injured too. Now he's really hurt again, but it's just his body this time. We can't even help him like we did last time."

"Don't you be second-guessin' Leo, Mikey," Raph said gruffly. "There's no way he'd evah go out like dis; not even ta get away from _you_."

"Hardy har har, listen to the funny turtle," Mikey retorted, lying down on his sleeping bag.

"I hate to say it Mikey, but Raph's right," Don pointed out. "We just have to hope for the best. There's nothing more we can do for Leo tonight, so let's just get some rest."

The three turtles fell asleep, their last thoughts all of the turtle in the other room. Worry, fear, and sadness all took precedence in their minds, but each also held desperately to the hope that their brother would once again make it through.

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Splinter awoke the next morning, disoriented and confused. He had fallen asleep while meditating in an attempt to connect to Leo. However, he had not been able to reach his eldest son, though this time because pain and exhaustion were clouding his son's mind. As he woke, he still felt the lingering strains of those emotions coming from Leo. A sudden noise caught his attention, and he saw Donatello moving quietly about the bathroom, changing Leo's bandage and checking on his vitals. Splinter felt a surge of pride; what fine sons he had raised; they were responsible, honorable, and their bonds with each other were strong as steel. He was thankful everyday for his decision to raise them as his own.

"Good morning, Donatello," Splinter said softly.

The brainy turtle jumped slightly, unaware that his sensei was awake. "Oh, good morning, Master Splinter. I hope I didn't wake you up, I was just checking on Leo."

"It is alright, my son, I was already awake. How is your brother?"

Don looked at Leo's still form. "He's basically the same as yesterday; he still hasn't woken up, but he hasn't gotten any worse either. There is some good news, though; no infection has set in, so it looks like we got him cleaned up and the antibiotics into his system in time. Also, the stitches are holding up nicely, so the wound should heal no problem." He sighed. "I am still worried about him, though; if he doesn't wake up soon, I've got no way to get any nutrients into his system. It's times like this I really wish mutated turtles were allowed in hospitals."

Splinter chuckled softly. "I understand your feelings, my son. Unfortunately, the humans of this world are still unable to accept us without fear, and as such, we must continue to live in the way of the ninja: in the shadows." Picking up his walking stick, he groaned slightly as he stood up. "Come, let us wake your brothers and go to breakfast. We shall let Ms. O'Neil and Miss Triolini sleep a bit more."

"Speaking of which, did you find out anything, Master Splinter? About…Iganna?"

The ninja master shook his head. "No, my son. I was unable to discover anything else about her, and did not detect her spiritual presence around Leonardo any more." He sat down at the table with a sigh. "Wake your brothers, Donatello, and we shall talk further."

As Don made his way into the living room, his brain was turning over what they knew about Iganna. But nothing jumped out at him other than Splinter's sensing of her aura near Leo. "I wonder what is going on with her," he mused. He reached the couch that Mikey was on, and shook him briskly. "Hey, Mikey, wake up. It's time for breakfast." The orange-banded turtle merely mumbled something unintelligible and rolled over onto his other side. Don rolled his eyes, then grabbed the pillow from under Mikey's head and proceeded to beat his younger brother soundly about the head with it. At Mikey's outraged yell, Don was satisfied that he was up, and moved over to the chair that Raph was sprawled on. Grabbing his bo staff, he prodded his older brother in the side, careful to remain a safe distance away. Raph's brothers had learned early on that he was not the most pleasant turtle to be around first thing in the morning, and he was even less pleasant to wake up. The hotheaded turtle's snores continued unabated, though he swatted the staff away from his side. Don renewed his efforts, finally rapping Raph on the shell. Raph jerked awake, falling off the chair and letting loose with a stream of curses. Don sheathed his bo staff and approached his sleepy brother. "Good morning, Raphael. Are we awake now?"

Raph growled at the perky tone of his younger brother. "_We_ would be a shell of a lot more awake if ya'd let a turtle get some shut-eye."

"It's almost ten o'clock in the morning. You got nearly eight hours, Raph. Stop complaining." Noticing Mikey prowling around the kitchen, he continued. "I hope you feel like scrambled eggs this morning, 'cause Mikey's cooking."

Raph stretched with a snort. "Ain't like I got a choice. 'Sides, I'd take the bonehead's eggs over Leo settin' the kitchen on fire any day of the week." As he realized what he'd said, he stood and glanced at the bathroom before meeting Don's gaze again. "Speakin' of which, how is he?"

"I'll tell you over breakfast," Don said, making his way to where Splinter was sitting. As they all sat down to eat, Don shared with his brothers what he had already told Splinter. Silence filled the kitchen as they all mused over the events of the past day. Mikey, unsurprisingly, was the first to break the silence.

"I wonder what it is she's doing to Leo. Do you think it's some freaky trick thing that only Canadians can do?" The young turtle's thoughts quickly strayed onto other topics. "Not that I've got anything against Canada folk, 'cause I don't. I mean, yeah, sure, they talk funny, and they're kinda weird, but the dudes came up with maple syrup! And my friends, it would be a lonely pancake that didn't have any maple syrup. Mmm, pancakes. Speaking of pancakes, I-"

"Wait a minute," Don interrupted, attracting everyone's attention. "You said she's _Canadian_?"

Mikey, broken out of his pancake-induced reverie, nodded energetically. "Yeah, we were talkin' to her yesterday, and she said that's where she's from." He watched, confused, as his older brother shook his head. "What's up, Donnie?"

"That just can't be right," the brainy turtle muttered, his voice taking on the occupied tone he got whenever he was trying to work out a problem. "Canadian? No, the skin pigmentation, not to mention vocal cadence and intonation, would dispute that fact. Also, there's the build…" His family stared at him, perplexed, as he continued talking to himself under his breath. Mikey's patience ran out first.

"Um, hello? Don? Donnie?" He waved a three-fingered hand in front of the dazed turtle's face. "Earth to Donatello!"

"Huh?" Don came to himself, looking around the table. "What? What is it?"

"Ya mind fillin' us in there, brainiack?" Raph asked. "An' in English. What da shell are you mutterin' about?"

"Oh. I was just thinking. Are you sure Iganna said she was Canadian?" At his family's nods, the confused look returned and he shook his head again. "That can't be right. Her coloring, not to mention her accent, isn't Canadian at all. And her last name doesn't sound Canadian either. If I had to guess, I'd say she's Italian. But there's just no way she was born and raised in Canada. What else did she say?" Once he was told the rest of the previous day's conversation, he sat back to think. "There's something she's not telling us. From what you said, there's no way in shell she just came here for a change of scenery. I'm going to see if I can find any information on the 'net."

"Information about what?" a curious voice interrupted. The kitchen's occupants turned to see the object of their conversation standing in the doorway, with April behind her.

"Oh, um, bullet wounds," Don blurted out, looking flustered. "We can't really take Leo to a hospital, so I, uh, want to look up some tips on the computer."

"Ah. How _is_ Leonardo?" Iganna asked.

"His condition hasn't changed much since yesterday. His vitals are pretty good, and the wound should heal well. The only thing I'm worried about is being able to get some nutrients into him."

"Could you not just give him something to eat?" she questioned.

Don shook his head. "He's still unconscious, and might stay that way for a while. Unless he wakes up, he could end up getting worse."

The woman's face darkened. "No. No, that would ruin _everything_."

Don, Raph and Mikey all exchanged a quick glance, Don voicing the thought on all their minds: "What are you talking about? That would ruin what?"

The trapped look came back into her eyes as they darted around the kitchen frantically. "It, um, this. My…being here. I…do not want you to resent me were anything to happen to your brother."

Raph, with a dark look on his face, was about to start forward when April interrupted, completely unaware of the turtles' suspicions. "Oh, Iganna, don't worry. There's no way we'd blame you. I mean, it's not like it's your fault or anything."

"Right, of course," Iganna responded, visibly flustered. "I was just worried."

The turtles all shared a look, silently agreeing to keep a close eye on the strange woman. However, before anyone could say anything, the door to April's apartment burst open, and in walked…Casey.

"Hey guys! You'll never guess what I got!"

"A bad case of stupid?" Raph growled, as he and his brothers vacated their hastily found hiding spots. "Haven't ya ever heard of knockin', Jones?"

"Aw, what's the matter Raph, didja wake up on the wrong side of yer shell or somethin'? 'Sides, I couldn't wait." Walking over to Don, he handed him a bulky package. "Merry Christmas, Donnie. I gotcha a little somethin'."

Don eyed the bag warily, as though expecting something to jump out at him. "While I thoroughly appreciate the gesture, Casey, you're a few months off."

"Yeah," Mikey added. "Not to mention you didn't get me anything."

Casey punched Mikey in the arm. "There's yer present, Mikey." He turned back to Don. "Open it, Don. I think you'll like it."

Don held his breath and carefully opened the bag. He reached in, and was surprised that the contents were slightly cool. Grabbing one of the objects inside, he pulled his hand out with a gasp.

Inside the sack were half a dozen IV bags.

The turtle looked back up at Casey in amazement. "Casey…where did you get these? How did you know to get these?"

The vigilante grinned. "Well, I was thinkin' 'bout Leo last night, an' I remembered that on ER they always got people who got shot hooked up ta IVs. So, I brought ya some."

Don shook his head, a rueful smile on his face. "Casey Jones, I will probably never say this again, but you are a genius." Heading off to the bathroom, he missed the shocked looks that his comment brought.

Raph shook his head as well. "Casey did somethin' right. It's official; shell has frozen over." Giving his friend a good-natured punch in the arm, he continued. "I gotta hand it to ya, Case; fer once, ya done good. Ya done real good."

"Casey." April's voice cut through the conversation, her tone vastly different from the others'. "How _exactly_ did you manage to come by those IV bags?"

The rest of the kitchen's occupants watched in amazement as the hockey stick-wielding vigilante turned an interesting shade of red. "Uh, well, see, that's kinda a funny story, April…"

"Arnold Casey Jones, _where did you get them_?"

Raph and Mikey winced. "Ooo," Mikey groaned sympathetically. "She used all three names on 'im! Casey's toast!"

Casey meanwhile was trying to placate April. "Don' worry, April, I didn't steal 'em or nothin'. Honest, I didn't."

"Then why do you look guilty?"

Splinter, surprisingly enough, was the one that saved Casey. "Ms. O'Neil, I believe Mr. Jones in his statement; he did not steal these supplies. However, I do believe this to be an excellent example of what a wise man once said: "Ignorance is bliss"."

April thought this over and sighed. "You're probably right, Master Splinter. I probably don't want to know." She disappeared into her bedroom to get dressed and came out a few minutes later, putting the finishing touches on her hair. "Alright, everybody, I'm heading out to take care of a few things. We need groceries, and I'm going to stock up on medical supplies too. And Mr. Jones here will be accompanying me." April grabbed her purse and Casey, and waved at her guests. "Raph, don't break anything; Mikey, don't eat everything; Iganna, you're welcome to stay for as long as you'd like; And Master Splinter, I'll be back in a few hours."

The rest of the day passed quickly for the other occupants of April's apartment. Don kept busy tending to Leo and secretly searching on the computer for any information about Iganna. Mikey and Raph went back to the Lair to retrieve some necessary items and cleaned up the apartment a bit. Master Splinter and Iganna chatted most of the afternoon, and even played a few games of chess. April returned near dinner time with pizza and a very silent, very eager-to-help Casey. Dinner was an entertaining affair, especially when Raph dropped some not-so-subtle comments about Casey being a whipped little puppy. The ensuing fight resulted in a broken lamp, an exasperated April, Casey being kicked out, and Mikey winning ten bucks off of Don from betting on the fight (which Raph won). Don was finally able to convince Master Splinter to get some rest, and spent the night in the bathroom with Leo.

The second day went by in a similar manner, the only difference being the lack of a fight. Mikey and Raph managed to convince Splinter to let them go out on a training run, though he refused to allow them to patrol the streets. Don joined them at Splinter's insistence that he take a break from watching Leo. Splinter and Iganna spent the evening meditating, Splinter being gratified at finding someone with a longer attention span for it than his sons. Casey and April worked on her car a bit, which resulted in Casey being kicked out for the second time in two days; this time as a result of a muttered comment about "women not knowin' crud 'bout machines". This time, Raph convinced Don and Splinter to let him take the night watch of Leo.

As he listened to his family preparing for bed, Raph leaned against the wall and studied Leo. His older brother was still pale, though not as bad as yesterday. The bandages weren't as bloody when Don changed them earlier, either, but Leo still hadn't woken up. When the apartment was finally quiet, Raph pulled a chair over to Leo's side and sat down, figuring he may as well be comfortable while on "guard duty". The next second he was back on his feet and pacing, but he soon found himself back at his brother's side. He growled in frustration and sat down again. Leaning back in his chair, he looked at his brother and scowled.

"Dammit, Leo! Why'd'ja hafta go an' get shot? Shell, normally _I'm_ th' one ta get all busted up in a fight, an' yer th' one ta give me some high an' mighty lecture about it," Raph grumbled. He thought about what he'd said and snorted. Raph couldn't count the times he'd gone to the surface to blow off some steam, and ended up coming back to the Lair bruised and battered, only to be greeted by another one of Leo's lectures. And now here they were, except _he_ was the one lecturing. Raph mused on the thought for a moment, and a stray idea came to him: _Is this how Leo feels every time I come home beat up an' he busts my chops?_ The notion shocked him, and Raph suddenly realized he was clenching his fists in anger. _What tha shell am I gettin' pissed about? _As he glanced at his hands and Leo, it hit him: he was angry at the fact that his brother was lying in front of him, injured and unconscious. He stared at Leo, then shook his head in disbelief; why hadn't it occurred to him that every time Leo had yelled at him for coming home hurt, he had done so out of concern?

"Ya never told me, bro. Ya never once said ya did it 'cause you were worried," Raph said. "But then, I probably shoulda realized it." He thought back, remembering all the times he'd blown up at Leo after his older brother confronted him about where he'd been. Each time, Leo would lecture Raph about being too quick to fight; and each time, Raph, already mad at having gotten hit during the fight, would get madder at Leo for butting in. The scene would always end with Raph making a rude suggestion and storming off, leaving a tired Leo behind.

"Every time I thought ya were just tryin' ta make me look bad. Never thought it was 'cause ya actually cared," the red-banded turtle said softly.

Raph stared at the other turtle, at the bandages covering his plastron and the homemade IV drip hooked up to his arm, and buried his face in his hands. "Shell, Leo. I didn't realize. I'm never on this side of it; I'm always the one busted up, not you. I'm sorry, bro. I just…shell," he swore softly, unable to believe the thought had never occurred to him before. "Every time ya did it, it pissed me off, you lecturin' me 'bout goin' topside. I always thought you were yellin' at me fer bein' a lousy fighter, not 'cause you were worried. Th' last time I saw ya like this, I tried ta forget it; I couldn't take it, seein' ya lyin' there all beat up by tha Foot. I was scared outta my shell, bro, I was so worried about ya. I'm worried now too. I never tell ya, but I love ya bro. I don't hate ya, I just never seem ta be able ta tell ya that unless ya get hurt. An' then even when ya are, I'm still pissed at ya. Now that I think 'bout it, I yelled at ya last time, too," he chuckled. "Whenever _you_ were layin' inta me, didja feel like this when ya saw me? I-I didn't know ya felt like this, bro. You know I'm normally tha last turtle ta admit it, but I'm scared. Shell, Leo, ya got shot! Ya coulda died! Ya still could," Raph broke off, his voice reduced to a whisper. He rubbed his eyes and continued.

"Ya always ride my shell 'bout bein' a hothead, 'bout bein' too "rash". Well, what tha shell about you, bro? I may've gotten my shell waxed before, but I ain't never been shot. An' what'd you get shot for? Some bitch who's messin' ya up, and we don't even know how," the turtle growled. "Yeah, I wanted ta beat the shell outta those punks, but ya didn't hafta go get her; Don says she coulda lasted 'til th' police got there wit' the ambulance, her wound wasn't that bad. But no, big-shot Leonardo has ta be tha big hero an' save th' damsel in distress. Yer taste in women sucks, bro; ya jus' gotta face that. First that bitch Karai, who doesn't even really _want_ yer help," Raph spat, his anger burning at the thought of Shredder's daughter, who seemed to have captivated his brother, "and now this broad. Ya can't save 'em all, bro, but ya jus' keep tryin'. Dammit, Leo; why're you such a bleedin' heart?" Raph pushed himself back to his feet and paced the bathroom some more, before giving up and returning to his seat. He grudgingly answered his own question. "'Cause that's jus' how ya are." Raph sighed and put his forearms on the table beside Leo, before resting his head on them wearily. A yawn escaped him as he grinned wryly. "An' honestly, bro, I wouldn't have ya any other way."

As he fell into a fitful sleep, he never noticed the small smile on the face of the unconscious turtle in front of him.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It was the third day after their disastrous patrol that the calm in the apartment was broken. After dinner, Raph and Mikey were challenging Casey to an arm-wrestling tournament, while Splinter, Iganna and April watched and tried to keep the competition nonviolent. Casey and Raph had just begun an argument about who had won the latest bout when Don came flying into the room.

"He's awake!"

Everyone's head flew up at this statement. "Who is?" Mikey asked.

Don rolled his eyes. "Who do you think, shell-for-brains? Leo! He's awake!"

The next few minutes were mayhem as three mutant turtles, a mutant rat, and three humans tried to all fit into one bathroom. When they finally managed to do so, they saw that Leo was indeed awake, though a bit pale. There were smiles and cheers all around as they greeted the injured turtle. Splinter, who had been able to position himself next to the bed Leo was on, asked the question on everyone's mind.

"How are you feeling, my son?"

"Sore, Sensei," Leo said hoarsely, his voice soft but strong. "And a bit tired."

"That's to be expected, Leo," Don said, checking Leo's pulse and bandages. "You've been out cold for two days, and you lost a lot of blood."

"Wow. No wonder I feel like shell," Leo whispered softly, before his eyes darted to Master Splinter. "Please forgive my language, Sensei."

Splinter smiled. "It is alright, my son. I am merely glad you are awake."

Raph joined his father and brothers by Leo's side, smirking. "Figures. Ya just woke up, an' already yer suckin' up. Always tryin' ta make us look bad, ain'tcha?"

Leo grinned faintly at his brother's joke, struggling to lift his hand to clasp Raph's. "Not that hard…to do, hothead," he managed tiredly. Glancing to Raph's side, he noticed Mikey standing there silently, a worried look on his face. "Hey, Michelangelo…what's wrong?"

Raph and Don took one look at Mikey's face, then locked gazes; they knew what was wrong. Whenever someone in the family got hurt, Mikey always took it the hardest. The fact that it was Leo, the brother Mikey looked up to the most, made it worse. They could see that he was struggling to keep a strong front up, but it was hard for the fun-loving turtle to see his brother like this.

Mikey swiped his forearm across his eyes, and plastered a fake look of anguish on his face. "I'm just so sad, Leo," he said. He sniffed a few times, and Raph was willing to bet not all of the sniffling was for show. "You…you missed my scrambled eggs, bro!"

His oldest brother chuckled weakly. "I think I'll survive, Mikey," he rasped. He lifted his eyes to the back of the room. "Hey, April; hey, Casey. How…are you guys doing?"

They both smiled. "A heck of a lot better'n you are, Leo," Casey remarked. April elbowed him in the side. "We're doing fine, Leo," she said.

"That's good," the blue-banded turtle managed. His eyes then landed on Iganna, and they widened suddenly. "You…" He searched his memory, trying to place her, before it hit him. "You were there in the alley…you got shot. Are you alright?"

His family and friends shook their heads, smiling ruefully. _Typical Leo,_ they thought. _Always worried about everyone else, even when he's in worse shape than they are._

Iganna smiled. "I am fine. I must thank you for saving my life; I would not be here if not for you and your brothers."

Leo returned her smile. "We were glad to do it. I hope-," He broke off suddenly into a fit of coughing. The smiles on the faces of the others were quickly replaced by looks of fear and worry as the coughs continued to rack Leo's body. His body convulsed on the table as he struggled to breathe.

"Leo!" Don sprang into action, grabbing his oldest brother. "Raph! Help me get him onto his side; he'll be able to breathe easier that way. Mikey! Get me a glass of water, quick! April, can you get some more morphine out please? Iganna, Casey, Master Splinter, I'm going to have to ask you guys to leave."

Splinter nodded, worry clearly evident on his face. "We will give you the space you need, my son. Come, let us go," he said, ushering the others out of the room.

Don and Raph carefully maneuvered Leo onto his side, trying to keep from hurting him. Blood spattered the table and floor, flying out of Leo's mouth every time he coughed. His breathing eventually slowed to normal, and he lay spent on the table, gasping for breath. He made several ineffectual attempts to get up, before his hands grabbed weakly at his plastron, the wound aggravated by the sudden and violent use of injured muscles.

"Don," Leo gasped, his breathing shallow as he shook from the pain. "Don, it hurts. Don, please." He grabbed his brother's wrist, the desperate strength in the grip dismaying the brainy turtle.

"It's okay, Leo," Don assured him quickly, as April handed him the syringe of pain medication. He carefully transferred Leo's grip to Raph's hand, then injected the needle's contents into his brother's arm. "It's alright," he soothed. "You're going to be fine." Leo's hand gradually loosened as the drug took hold, his arm dropping weakly to his side. His eyes were glazed over from the pain, and exhaustion was etched into every line on his face.

"Leo, I know you're tired, but I need you to stay awake for me just a little longer, okay?" Don spoke calmly as he grabbed a towel and fresh bandages from the cupboard. "Does it feel like anything burst or pulled inside? How do you feel?"

"I…hurt, Don. It just…it just hurts," Leo said heavily.

"I know it does, Leo, but we have to make sure you're not bleeding internally," his younger brother said sternly. "This is important, Leo, I need you to talk to me. What happened when you started coughing?"

"My throat hurt…I had to cough. As soon as I did, my stomach felt like it was on fire," Leo rasped.

"But your stomach hurt _after_ you started coughing, not before, right?" Don asked intently. He nodded his thanks to Raph as the red-banded turtle began cleaning up the blood, gently wiping off Leo's face before clearing the mess from the floor. Don patted his eldest brother's face gently. "Leo, you have to stay awake and tell me this. Did your stomach hurt before or after you started coughing? Did it feel like the wound burst?"

"It…it hurt…once I started coughing, I think." Leo struggled to get the words out. "It felt like…I got shot…all over again."

Don nodded. "Can you breathe alright? Your lungs don't feel blocked or anything?" At his brother's nod, he sighed in relief. "Okay. Can you open your mouth for me, Leo?" He lifted his brother's head gently and peered into his mouth, then set his head back down on the pillow. "Okay, just a couple more minutes and you can go to sleep, bro. Just hang in there." He began to unwrap the dressings on his brother's plastron, carefully pulling away the blood-covered bandages.

"Shell," Raph swore softly at the sight of the blood and the wound. "Don…"

"It's okay, Raph, it really looks worse than it is," his younger brother assured him.

Just then, Mikey returned with the glass, half of the water spilled down the sides. As soon as he saw Leo, he froze; Raph barely managed to save the glass as it fell from Mikey's numb fingers. Don glanced at Mikey, then Raph.

"Raph," the purple-banded turtle said quietly, "get Mikey out of here. He doesn't need to see this."

Raph's hand on his shoulder, coupled with Don's words, snapped Mikey out of his daze, and he shook himself out of his older brother's grip. "No! I've got just as much right to be here as you guys. Leo's my brother too."

"Alright, Mikey," Don said softly. "Can you talk to Leo while I clean him up? I need you to keep him awake just a little longer."

"No problem," the youngest turtle said, his pale face and shaking voice belying his words. As he gently held Leo's hand, he chatted with his brother, forced cheer in his voice. "Hey, bro, you're makin' a mess."

Leo turned his head slightly to the side, too exhausted to move anymore. "Sorry…Mikey," he whispered. His eyelids fluttered, and he struggled to keep his eyes open. "Can I…have some water?" At Don's nod, Mikey and Raph carefully helped their brother take a few sips of the water. The effort seemed to take the last of his strength, and his eyes closed to mere slits.

"Hey, Leo…Leo." The orange-banded turtle faced Don. "Donnie, he's fading fast," Mikey warned. "I don't think he can stay awake any longer."

Don moved to Leo's side, resting his hand on Leo's head. "Leo, it's Don. It's okay, bro, you can go back to sleep now." He watched as Leo mumbled something, then visibly sagged into the table, already fast asleep. Satisfied that Leo was sleeping comfortably, Don continued his ministrations. He cleaned off Leo's arm, and reinserted the IV, since Leo's convulsions had torn it loose. Another injection of penicillin followed, and then he carefully examined the wound and grimaced.

His expression was not missed by his brothers. "What's wrong, Don?" Raph asked.

"Just a sec, Raph." Turning to April, he asked, "Can you get me some more surgical thread, and another sterilized needle?" After she nodded, he faced his brothers again and sighed. "Leo pulled some of his stitches loose, which started up some more bleeding. I'm going to have to redo most of them." As he began, April came over to help, while Raph and Mikey moved over towards the wall. Noticing the look on his youngest brother's face, Raph put a comforting arm across his shoulders, which Mikey leaned into gratefully. Several minutes later, April and Don finished, and bandaged Leo back up. Don held up a hand to silence any questions, and motioned them outside. Shutting the door, he let out a weary sigh and plodded slowly into the kitchen where he sat down, rubbing his face tiredly. Master Splinter silently set a cup of tea in front of him, and Don sipped from it gratefully. As he noticed the looks around him, he set down his tea.

"Alright, here's what happened, as best as I can determine: Leo just had a minor coughing fit."

"'Just a minor coughing fit'!" Raph exclaimed derisively. "Bro, he was coughin' up blood!"

"Raphael, let your brother finish," Splinter scolded before turning worried eyes on Don. "Donatello, is this true?"

Don glared at Raph but nodded reluctantly. "Yes, Master Splinter, it is. But just let me explain." He picked up where he had left off.

"Like I said, all that happened was really just a minor coughing fit. Even though Leo's had the IV in and has been getting his nutrients from that, he hasn't had anything to drink. From what he told me, he just got a tickle in his throat. However, since he was on his back, his airways didn't have the ideal access for oxygen, so it got worse. And since he was slightly dehydrated and his throat was dry, the coughing tore up his throat, which is where the blood was from. I talked to him and checked him out, and thank shell, it wasn't from internal bleeding. He pulled some stitches, but we replaced those, and he's sleeping comfortably now. He's fine, and he should start getting better from now on."

The atmosphere of the room relaxed drastically at the statement. April spoke up as well.

"And don't forget the fact that Leo woke up in the first place," she pointed out encouragingly. "I mean, the fact that he woke up and could talk three days after _getting shot_ is amazing. The wound is still uninfected, and Leo's strong; he'll pull through this. It's just a matter of time."

"Ms. O'Neil is correct," Splinter said, standing up from the table. "Leonardo's spirit is strong, and he knows that he is surrounded by loved ones. This is the first sign of his recovery, and we shall help him every step along the way." As everyone dispersed for the night, Splinter addressed his sons. "I shall again watch over Leonardo tonight."

Neither Don nor Raph argued with his decision, and not just because they knew Splinter wouldn't change his mind; Don, despite his assurances to his family, still wanted someone to keep an eye on Leo, and Raph was exhausted from his vigil the night before.

One person, however, did object to Splinter's announcement.

"No, Sensei; I'll watch Leo tonight."

Raph and Don both turned to look at Mikey in shock, but Master Splinter, after seeing the determination on his youngest son's face, merely nodded his head. "Very well, Michelangelo. I trust you will wake us should the need arise."

"I'll take care of him, Sensei." As Mikey bowed and walked off to the bathroom, his brothers turned to Splinter. But their sensei simply raised a paw to forestall their questions.

"I understand your surprise at this decision, my sons, but I feel it is well made." Motioning to the door Mikey had just passed through, they could hear talking to Leo softly. "Your brother needs to come to terms with what has happened. It is good that he wishes to do so and wishes to support Leonardo."

As the tired family settled down for another night, Raph called quietly to his brother.

"Hey, Donnie."

"Yeah, Raph?"

The smile was evident in Raph's tone.

"Mikey's finally growin' up."

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**A/N: Alrighty, there's another chapter down! And holy crap, it's a long one! I personally am pretty darn proud of this one. Now there's only…I don't know how many chapters to go. . Next time I write a fic, I'm going to try planning out its length in chapters, and try writing it before I start posting regularly. We'll see how it goes. Sorry it took me so long to update, I feel really bad. Two weeks is way too long, but I had some major writer's block. But in other news, yay! Leo woke up! And there's some plot movement and emotional fluff, too. :D And I managed to work the title into the story! Go me! (Just to clear some things up, here's the timeline so far: the night they went on patrol is when Leo got shot, and then the whole process of fixing him up took the rest of the night. Then the next day was the day with April leaving to shop, and so on. I just wanted to make sure that was known in case anyone was confused.) Anyways, any thoughts on the newest chapter? Like it? Hate it? Input is always appreciated. And please keep in mind that I am _not_ a medical professional; I have no idea how long gunshot wound recovery takes, but I've got to move this story along. Nor do I know if the whole coughing thing is plausible. I'm just trying to make this as realistic as possible, and I think that it could happen, so work with me. :D**

**Also, I wanted to check on something with anyone who reviews this: are we allowed to have song lyrics in stories as long as we note who they're by? I've seen several fics that have lyrics in them, but in other ones people say that having the lyrics isn't allowed. I wanted to make sure of that, 'cause I've got some really good ideas if song lyrics are allowed. If someone could just let me know on that, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks! Please R&R! Well, actually, if you're reading this right now, then you've ALREADY read the chapter. Unless you just skipped down to the author notes, which would be really weird. So am I just supposed to ask you to R? Hmm. Ah well, thanks for reading, and please review! And as always, no flames s'il vous plait! See you in Chapter 7!**


	7. Travel Plans

_**Disclaimer: **I STILL don't own the TMNT, which you continue to make me feel bad about. So now I shall bludgeon any flamers in an attempt to rekindle some of my sorely missed self-esteem. :D_

_Thanks to **Digmon Girl, Ted, coldsunshin, Pi90katana, and Tewi** for reviewing Chapter Six._

_And now, what better way to start off the New Year than with Chapter Seven?_

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_Mikey…Mikey…eat me, eat me!_

Mikey smiled. He was alone in the Lair with a 5-foot-wide pizza. It was his favorite kind, with pineapple and gummy bear toppings, and there was no one else home, so he didn't have to share.

_Mikey, eat me!_

The energetic turtle grabbed a six-pack of pop and was about to chow down, when suddenly the pizza's voice changed.

_Michelangelo…you…ear me?_

Mikey stopped, confused. Why the shell had the pizza just asked him to "ear" it? Eating it was one thing, but how could he "ear" it? For one, he didn't know what "ear"-ing required, and for another, he'd never actually _seen_ his ears. And something else was bugging him, too; the pizza's voice had changed. Now that he thought about it, why was a pizza talking in the first place? And why would it ask Mikey to eat it? _Isn't that suicide?_ he wondered. Mikey thought it over. He couldn't figure out why it had never before bothered him that his meal was talking; but now it felt like eating it would be killing it. _It's like it would be homicide. No, pizza-cide._ _Shell of a time for me to get a stomach conscience._ Bidding the pizza of his dreams goodbye, he decided to focus more on the voice in order to figure out what it was trying to say.

_Michelangelo…can you hear me?_

There it was again, except he caught of all it this time; it had said "can you hear me". Well, of course he heard the pizza, that's why he was having this trouble in the first place. Curse his ninja sense of honor. Although, did eating a talking pizza _really_ qualify as killing a defenseless, sentient being? He'd have to ask Sensei when he woke up.

_Of course_, Mikey thought; he was dreaming. That explained the talking pizza. And yet, he was sure that the pizza's voice had changed. At first, he could have sworn that the pizza sounded oddly like a munchkin from the Wizard of Oz, but now it sounded different. The voice was deeper, but quieter. _Maybe the pizza went through a growth spurt_, he mused. But when he checked, it was still the same size…still 5 feet large…still fresh from the oven…still smelling of pineapply, gummy beary goodness…_No!_ He shook his head. _The last thing I need is the death of a talking pizza on my conscience…though come to think of it, I've probably already eaten several of its relatives…_The thought disturbed him; after all, how would he feel if a giant pizza ate Sensei? Or Raph, or Don, or Leo?

_Leo! That's who the pizza sounds like!_ Mikey was proud that he had discovered who the voice sounded like. And when he thought about it, Leo _was_ the only one of his brothers who called him Michelangelo. But now the nagging feeling was back again; there was some reason why it was important that it was _Leo_ who was talking to him. Mikey struggled to remember, when suddenly the events of the past two days hit him: _patrol…saving Iganna…Leo getting shot…Leo waking up…LEO!_

"LEO!" Mikey jerked awake, his oldest brother the only thing on his mind. His eyes flew open, and he scanned his surrounding frantically. He finally realized he was in the bathroom with Leo…who was lying on the table…looking at him!

"Leo! Bro, you're awake! Again!"

Leo laughed softly. "Yeah, Mikey, I am…and you're loud. Geez, I keep forgetting…how deeply you can sleep," he said, his words broken by shallow breaths. "I was calling you…for like five minutes. You were drooling…on my blanket, and you kept trying…to eat my pillow. And you were talking…about killing…pizzas."

"Oh, yeah! Man, Leo, you shoulda been there! Okay here's what happened: there was this pizza, see, and…" With that, Mikey launched into a dramatic retelling of his dream. However, Mikey talked so fast that Leo was only able to catch half of the words, which led to him being a very confused turtle.

_What is he talking about?_ The blue-banded turtle wondered. _All I caught was something about talking pizzas, and bears, and…the Wizard of Oz?_

"…and then I'm like, "Dude! What if a pizza ate Sensei or Don or Raph or Leo? So that's when I realized you were the one talking and I woke up," Mikey concluded, certain that Leo would understand his dream.

_I was going to get eaten by a pizza?_ Leo wondered dazedly. _Only Mike…_

"So how long have you been awake, bro?" Mikey asked.

Leo craned his head around carefully to squint at the clock. "Just about…ten minutes or so. I thought I heard someone talking…and it ended up being you. Plus my blanket was…getting kind of wet."

His youngest brother grinned guiltily. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that, Leo. It's just, the pizza…and it was _five feet wide_! And…yeah."

The blue-banded turtle laughed softly. "It's alright, Mike. You couldn't…really help it."

"You're prob'ly right. Boy, am I glad I was drooling on you and not Raph. I'd never hear the end of it. Oh shell! I should prob'ly go get everyone else up!" Mikey hopped up from his chair, nearly falling over as he tried to make it to the door, but his brother's words stopped him.

"No, Mikey, don't."

The youngest turtle's confusion showed clearly on his face. "But why not, bro? They'll want to talk to you, 'specially since we really didn't get to last night."

"Well, for one thing…it's 6:30 in the morning. And for another…I'd kind of like to talk to you alone for a bit, Mikey," Leo said haltingly.

"Dude, are you sure you're feeling alright? Not that I don't appreciate it, but I'm normally the last turtle to talk to. That's more Donnie or Master Splinter's department."

"Perhaps," Leo agreed, "but right now…I think you're the best one…to say this to."

"Well, then fire away, bro," Mikey said, then stopped as a thought hit him. "Wait, I wanted to ask you something…why do you keep talking funny?"

Leo grimaced ruefully. "My plastron and throat still hurt…a little from yesterday. It's kinda painful to breathe…too deeply, so I have to take…smaller breaths."

The younger turtle's face was instantly flooded with concern. "Are you sure you're okay, Leo? D'you want me to go get Donnie?"

"No," Leo replied, shaking his head. "I'm alright, Mikey. Just a little sore."

"If you're sure…" Mikey said slowly, deciding to let it go for now. "Well, then Doctor Phil is in the house! Hit me with the dream scene, bro."

Leo took a deep breath before he spoke. "It…it wasn't even really one dream…it was just…so many scenes, all running together. I saw…I don't know. There was someone…someone else, like they were there…like I was seeing their memories with them. Shell, Mikey, I-I just don't know. It was horrible, though, I know that much. Everything was hazy, nothing was distinct…but there were screams and cries…and it smelled like blood and fear. It just…it all felt like death, and pain…and I don't know why, but I kept seeing her…the woman we rescued…in midst of all this carnage and suffering."

"Iganna?" Mikey interrupted harshly. "You saw her in your dream?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah. But she…she was…laughing. It was like there was no remorse, no sadness from her for what was happening. And even though there was no hint of us in the dream, I can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen…that all that pain will strike us next…I just, oh shell, Mikey, there was just so much blood, so much _pain_…" He broke off, sobbing.

Mikey was frozen in his seat. He had never seen his brother this distraught before, and it worried him. Shifting closer, he carefully wrapped his arms around his older brother, trying to comfort him without causing him anymore pain.

"It's okay, Leo," he whispered soothingly in his brother's ear. "It's alright, bro, just calm down…" Though he tried to stay calm for Leo's sake, the anxiety he could sense was coming off of the injured turtle in waves, nearly swamping Mikey's nerves. Leaning back slightly, he looked at Leo. "Are you sure you don't want me to get Sensei?"

"No," Leo choked out. "I just…will you stay with me, Mikey? 'Till I fall asleep again?"

"Sure, bro; I just figured that Sensei could help you with this better than I could."

"That's what I'm afraid of, Mikey. You know Master Splinter always tells us that dreams can sometimes be visions…and I'm afraid that he'll tell me this dream was one. I couldn't take that…not seeing all that happen…"

"But, Leo," Mikey said hesitantly, "if it _could_ be a vision, shouldn't you face that?"

Leo shook his head, tears in his eyes. "I know I should, Mikey, but I just can't. Not right now."

"Okay," Mikey said slowly, confused, "but what can I do, bro? I'm sure as shell not as good with the meditation stuff you and Sensei do, so how can I help?"

"I need you to be you, Mikey. I need you to make some joke right now about how I'm being too serious or paranoid…I need you to tell me not to worry. I need you to tell me it was just a dream." Tears continued to leak from the corners of Leo's eyes. "I need you to use your light…to chase away this darkness."

"My light?" Mikey asked, confused. "What the shell are you talking about, Leo?"

"I'm talking about your light, Mikey…your spirit. You've always had so much energy…so much life. You've always managed to keep us up when we're about to fall…and I need that from you now," Leo said softly, looking deep into Mikey's eyes.

Mikey studied his brother seriously. _I don't think I've ever seen Leo this rattled before. The dude's normally like a rock, but now he's really messed up because of this dream,_ Mikey thought worriedly. But another look at his oldest brother's distressed features caused Mikey to banish his thoughts, realizing that Leo needed comforted now. _I'll talk to Donnie about this later_. _First I need to calm Leo down. The dude's way too wound up._ Schooling his features into a look of mock seriousness, Mikey laid his hand on Leo's shoulder. "Leo, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I think I know what's causing your dreams."

Leo's brows flew together. "What, Mikey? What is it?"

Pasting his trademark grin on his face, Mikey lightly punched his brother in the arm. "Casey probably slipped something in your IV."

Mikey smiled in satisfaction at the emotions that blew across his brother's face: fear, confusion, and finally, disturbed amusement.

"You know, Mikey, that's probably the scariest thought I've had tonight," Leo said as he laughed quietly, relief evident in his tone.

Mikey joined him in his laughter. "You and me both, Leo. I can't think of anything creepier than Casey with drugs." He clapped a hand on Leo's shoulder, trying to reassure his brother through his casual demeanor. "I seriously think you're worrying your shell over nothing, bro. The first time you saw Iganna, you got shot, so that's probably the cause of the trippy dreams. Get some rest, and I'll see if Don'll let me smuggle you some food in here later today."

Leo smiled tiredly as he laid back down. "That sounds great, Mikey." Turning his head to face his youngest brother, Leo looked him in the eyes, his tone sincere. "Thanks."

Mikey watched as Leo's eyes slowly closed and his breathing evened out. _And my job here is done_, he thought as he closed the door softly, leaving the room a very satisfied turtle.

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Don, contrary to his older brother's experience, was having a great dream. He and his brothers had been accepted by the world above, and he was finally being recognized for the genius he was. He had just finished presenting his idea for detoxifying nuclear waste in order to use it as a highly efficient energy source, and the President of the United States was awarding him with the Nobel Peace Prize. It was a high honor, to be sure, even though he already had two more at home just like it; he had won his _other_ Nobel Peace Prizes for discovering the solution to the problem of global warming and the ozone layer, and of course for curing cancer. Don swelled with pride. The President was just opening his mouth to speak, and-

He belched.

And most powerful man in the country or not, his breath reeked! Don's eyes watered and he closed them, then opened them in an attempt to clear the tears. But what he saw was definitely not the President; nor was it a nice, shiny Nobel Peace Prize.

What he saw was the back of his little brother's throat, and whatever he had eaten in the past few hours.

"MIKEY!" Don yelled, slapping a hand over his nose. "What the shell are you doing!"

Mikey leaned back, expertly avoiding the punch aimed at his head. "Why, waking you up, brother dear. Being the responsible, thoughtful turtle that I am, I did not want you to sleep away the opportunities of this bright new day!"

"So you woke me up by burping in my face!"

The younger turtle grinned. "Shell, yeah, bro. I woke up to a pillow in the face, so you get "Mikey's Mystery Mouth". This is payback. And besides, you know what they say; all's fair in love, war, and wake-up calls."

"Personally, I would've preferred the pillow," Don muttered. "What the shell did you eat?"

"What did I eat?" Mikey repeated, his face taking on a positively wicked look. "Do ya mean before or after the three cloves of garlic and half a can of tuna?"

Had it been possible for a turtle to turn any greener, Don would have done so. "Eww…"

"So, ya ready for breakfast?"

Don snorted. "I'm not eating again for a week. Not after seeing where food goes to die…in the bottomless pits of Michelangelo. Besides, you've probably eaten everything else, and I'm sick of scrambled eggs."

"Hey," Mikey protested, "I'm a growing turtle; I need my energy. And I don't see you cooking breakfast, Mr. Ungrateful."

"I'm an engineer, not a cook," the brainy turtle replied. "Are Raph and Master Splinter up yet?"

"Not yet, we're the only ones. I actually kinda wanted to ask you something," Mikey said, his tone and expression turning serious.

"I am _not_ going to guess what you ate, Mikey, so don't even ask."

"No, it's nothing like that," Mikey assured his older brother. "It's about Leo."

Don's head flew up at that comment. "What about him? Is something wrong?"

"Calm down, Donnie, he's fine. He actually woke up this morning."

"He did?" Don's face lit up. "That's great! I'm glad the coughing fit yesterday didn't have any permanently adverse effects. I'd better go check on him. Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"Whoa, hold up there, bro. He's sleeping again. He woke up about three hours ago, and told me not to wake everyone else up. But I have to talk to you about something he said." Mikey pulled his brother back down on the couch beside him.

"What's wrong?"

Mikey took a deep breath before beginning his story. "Leo had one shell of a nightmare, Donnie. He said he saw all this blood and death and stuff, and I think it really messed him up. He was seriously freaked, bro; I mean, he was actually crying! And it was kinda creepy how weird he was; he actually _asked_ me to joke about it, like he wanted me to convince him it wasn't a vision or something. Even though he'd _told_ me to tell him it wasn't real, he calmed down after I did, like he still believed me. It weirded the shell out of me, Donnie."

Don's face instantly went from confusion to concern. "That doesn't sound like Leo at all. For him to have a nightmare is rare, and for him to share it, with it being that bad, is even stranger. Normally, if he or Raph have nightmares, they never admit it."

"You're telling me. I still remember the time Raph clobbered me when I said he had a nightmare. He knocked me right on my shell, yelling at me that "there's a diff'rence b'tween dreams an' nightmares" and that he "don' get nightmares"."

Don snickered. "I remember that. The look on your face was priceless," he said. The brainy turtle sobered. "But you have a point; neither Raph nor Leo will ever actually call them nightmares, like they're refusing to admit they could have them. And yet, I still don't remember Leo ever being in denial this badly about a bad dream before. Did he say anything else?"

"Yeah, he did; and that's the creepiest part of all," Mikey told his brother softly. He paused, taking a deep breath, and then continued. "He said he saw Iganna there too, right in the middle of everything. And she was…laughing."

"Shell…" Don whispered, frozen in his seat. He then shook himself, dragging Mikey up with him from the couch. "Come on, Mikey; we gotta get Raph and Master Splinter and go talk to Leo. We need to tell him what's going on with Iganna."

"No." Mikey stopped his older brother for the second time. "We can't tell him."

"Mikey, are you kidding me?" Don asked, his tone incredulous. "He deserves to know. Shell, he'd probably be glad for the explanation."

"I said no, Don," Mikey repeated firmly. "You didn't see him in there, bro; he was scared out of his shell! I've never seen him that freaked out, not even when one of us was hurt. He practically begged me to say it wasn't real, to tell him it wasn't a vision or something; and if we go in there now and tell him that it could be, he'll probably lose it." Seeing Don open his mouth to speak, Mikey continued hurriedly. "I'm not sayin' we don't tell him, I'm just sayin' not yet. Let him cool down a bit and recover from this, then tell him. That's all I'm sayin'."

Don looked at his brother for a long moment, surprised at the maturity and foresight that Mikey was showing. _I guess Raph is right_, he thought. _Mikey **is** growing up._ He sighed. "Alright, Mikey. We'll do it your way. But we _are_ going to tell him. Leo's always been all about facing his fears. It isn't good for him to stay in denial."

"And he won't, Donnie," Mikey protested. "He just needs some down time." Moving on to calmer subjects, he then raised the can of shaving cream in his hand. "And speaking of down time, I think our dear brother Raphael has had a little too much. Care to join me in waking him?"

The purple-banded turtle shook his head ruefully. _Then again, maybe he **isn't** growing up._ He then raised his hands in surrender. "Do what you want, Mikey, but I won't be a part of this. I will, however, express my refusal to care for _two_ injured brothers when Raph kicks your shell." Don walked out, shaking his head again as he heard yells and thuds emanate from the room he had just left. He made his way to the bathroom, checking to see if everyone else was awake. He greeted Iganna and April as he stuck his head in their rooms, and he bowed to Master Splinter as the rat went to free his youngest son from Raph's chokehold. Don meanwhile entered the bathroom.

"Hey, Don."

The soft voice caused Don's head to fly up. Leo was awake and sitting on the edge of the bed!

"Leo!" Don ran to his older brother, grabbing him in a gentle hug. "Bro, you do not know how glad I am to see you up."

Leo chuckled. "Probably not as glad as I am to be up."

"How do you feel?" Don asked, busily checking his brother's bandages and vital signs.

The older turtle shrugged. "Still a little sore, but just when I move too quickly or stretch too much. I'm ready to get out of here, though."

Don snorted derisively. "You always were a horrible patient." As he finished re-bandaging Leo's side, he sat down beside him on the bed. "Well, your wound is healing well; no infection, no more pulled stitches, and the bleeding's basically stopped. Any other discomfort? Headache, nausea, fatigue?"

"Not really," Leo said. "I am kind of tired, but I'm _more_ tired of just laying here."

"Typical," Don retorted. "I suppose you're going to want to take part in morning training, too."

"Take part?" Leo grinned, humor gleaming in his eyes. "Don't be silly, Don, of course I'm not going to take part." He watched as his brother sagged in relief.

"I'm glad to hear it," Don told his brother. "At least you're finally showing some sense about-"

"I'm going to _lead_ morning training, obviously."

Don fixed his brother with a glare. "Try it and I'll knock you on your shell." He couldn't keep a straight face for long though, and joined his brother in laughter. "Do you feel up to some food, bro? Nothing too heavy, but I want to get something into you. That way we can get you off the IV."

"I would love you forever if you fed me, Don," Leo replied fervently.

As Don carefully removed the IV, he snorted, casting an amused look at his older brother. "Don't lie, Leo; you'd just love me for getting you out of bed."

"Well, that too," the older turtle admitted. With Don's help he stood shakily. "By the way, where are we?"

"We're at April's place. After you…got shot, we called April and Casey to come pick us up, and then brought you here. You've been out for almost three days, barring yesterday. Everyone will be really glad to see you out and about, especially Mikey; he's been driving us all crazy with how worried he's been."

"How's everyone doing?"

"April's good, Casey's kind of in the doghouse, Master Splinter's been pretty worried, and so has Raph. Whenever I'm not here, they've hardly left your side."

"Really?" Leo asked, surprised. "Raph was there?"

Don leveled a look at his older brother as they made their way into the hallway. "Of course he was, Leo; don't you remember how he was last time? He took it worse than Mikey. And he hasn't taken it all that well this time either."

A half smile quirked up the corners of Leo's mouth. "To tell you the truth, I was more surprised to wake up to Mikey yesterday."

"We were all surprised," Don remarked. "Raph and I couldn't believe it when Mikey asked Master Splinter if he could watch you last night."

"I guess he's finally growing up."

Don tried to contain his laughter, but it forced its way out of him nonetheless. When Leo looked askance at him, it didn't help.

"And what, exactly, is so funny?" Leo inquired.

"You," Don replied, struggling to hide his amusement. "You and Raph. For all your fighting and how much you guys set each other off, you're so alike." He stilled his brother's protests. "No, hear me out. What you just said, about Mikey? Raph said that exact same thing last night."

"I'm sounding like Raph?" Leo asked as he gaped at his brother. He then shook his head. "I think I need to go back to bed," he muttered wryly.

"Don't get your bandana in a knot, I'm sure it won't happen often." Upon entering the kitchen, Don helped Leo into a chair, which the older turtle took with a grateful sigh. "How're you doing?"

"Tired, and just a little shaky. But it feels good to be up again."

"Good," Don said absently, nodding as he checked his brother's pulse. "I'm going to go get everyone else, and then we'll see what we can get for breakfast." He carefully made his way into the family room, coming upon his sensei in the middle of delivering a very stern lecture about maturity and manners as guests to his two other brothers. Mikey was trying hard not to grin, and Raph was seething sullenly. And for some inexplicable reason he had shaving cream on top of his head…

"Um, Master Splinter? May I interrupt?" Don inquired carefully. He heard a muttered comment from Raph that sounded like "_shell, yeah_" before the hotheaded turtle was silenced by a glare from Splinter. The rat then turned to face his son.

"Yes, Donatello? Are you in need of something?"

"Well, technically, no, but I just wanted to let you guys know that…" he paused, a grin spreading across his face, "Leo's up. He's waiting for us in the kitchen."

"_Alright!_" Raph and Mikey cheered as they headed for the kitchen.

Splinter stopped their escape. "My sons, we will resume this conversation later, and you shall both perform twenty flips for your…antics," he said dryly, looking at a sheepish Mikey, "and your lack of restraint," he finished, directing a glance at an irritated Raph.

As his brothers made their escape to the kitchen, Don nearly choked while trying to suppress his laughter; for on the back of Raph's shell, written in shaving cream in shaky lettering and accompanied by an arrow pointing down to the floor, were these words:

_Insert foot here_.

Splinter sighed heavily, defeat written on his face. "Now I understand Michelangelo's words when he said that he was _told_ to kick Raphael."

Don strove valiantly to keep a straight face, but failed miserably. As his sensei quirked an inquisitive eyebrow at him, he schooled his features. "Sorry, Master Splinter."

"It is alright, Donatello," Splinter said calmly. A grudging smile crossed his face. "As much I as know I should not approve, nor encourage Michelangelo…I must admit that his creativity knows no bounds. Though I do wonder where he got the shaving cream from…"

"Master Splinter, may I make a suggestion?" The turtle interrupted gently.

"Of course, Donatello."

"I think this is another one of those "Ignorance is bliss" situations."

"Ah." The rat started to open his mouth again, but thought better of it and shook his head. "Come; let us join your brothers. I am anxious to see Leonardo well again. How is he faring, my son?"

"I think he's doing really well, Master Splinter, all things considered. He was a little tired just walking out here, but he's ready to be moving again."

Splinter chuckled. "Yes, Leonardo has never been one for long recoveries, has he?"

"No, he hasn't," Don agreed. "And I know we're going to have a shell of a time trying to keep him quiet long enough for that wound to heal. He's going to be convinced he's well enough, and will try to be practicing again too soon."

"Language, Donatello," Splinter reprimanded gently. "We will discuss your brother's recovery more later. For now, let us enjoy breakfast and be thankful that Leonardo is with us."

"Hai, Sensei."

The pair entered the kitchen to find Mikey in yet another headlock, courtesy of Raph, while Leo was sitting at the table with tears in his eyes, helpless with laughter. As well as Don and Splinter could guess, judging by Raph's renewed attack on Mikey and the towel in Leo's hand, Leo had alerted Raph to the message on his shell.

Raph, of course, found the situation less amusing.

"Ya little punk! I swear I am goin' ta kick tha shell outta you! Why can't ya ever jus' wake a turtle up like any otha sane person, by shakin' me awake! D'you know how much shavin' cream stings when it gets in yer eyes? I ain't had my eyes hurt like that since Leo sneezed black pepper inta my face when we was ten! Ya annoying little piece of sh-"

"Raphael." Splinter's one word carried a world of warning.

The hotheaded turtle looked up quickly. "-ell," he finished carefully. Not removing his arm from around Mikey's neck, he bowed to Splinter, bringing the top half of his youngest brother along with him. "Mornin', Mastah Splintah." A similar muffled comment came from Mikey, but with Raph's hand covering his mouth and blocking all cries for help, the greeting was lost along the way.

"Good morning, my sons," Splinter replied calmly, giving his eldest time to compose himself. "Raphael, might I inquire as to why your brother is currently taking on a most distressing shade of blue?"

Raph glanced casually down at his brother, who was ineffectually flailing in an attempt to free himself. "Prob'ly 'cause I ain't lettin' 'im get any air, Sensei," he replied honestly.

"And why do you see the need to deny your brother of oxygen?"

"'Cause he's a pain in tha shell. He wrote on my shell wit' shavin' cream, so I'm jus'…advisin' 'im not ta do it again."

"I see. Very well." At Splinter's calm acceptance of this statement, Mikey's eyes had bulged even more, though from shock rather than air deprivation, while Raph's face had broken into a triumphant smirk. But before the hothead could go back to whaling on his youngest sibling, Splinter continued. "However, despite the fact that Michelangelo may indeed deserve this…"lesson", I believe that he would derive greater benefit from a less life-threatening form of tutelage, my son."

Raph reluctantly loosened his grip from around his brother's neck, sighing as he dropped Mikey less than gently on the floor. "Yes, Sensei."

Mikey, meanwhile, was doing a stunning impression of a fish out of water, gasping and puffing as he tried to catch his breath. "Geez, Sensei, why didn't you or Leo come help me sooner?"

The rat's whiskers twitched in ill-concealed amusement. "Because I believe the fact that your methods of waking your brothers are unwelcome is something you need to learn, my son. Also, unconventional though his methods may be, your brother Raphael is at times an apt teacher for this sort of matter."

"Hmph," Mikey snorted, unwilling to admit that his father may have had a point. "What about you, Leo? What's your excuse?"

"Sorry, Mikey," Leo shrugged. "I claim incapacitation as a result of injury."

"Say what?"

Don sighed and translated. "He's hurt and couldn't really break up your fight."

"Right," Leo said, nodding. A smirk then crept onto his face. "Plus it was funny to watch. Though I must admit, Mikey, I see why I got the blue bandana; blue really isn't your color."

"Hey!" Mikey protested. "Isn't anyone on my side today?"

"Leo's got a point, Mikey," Don stated. "Although, in your defense, I don't think anyone looks good when they're asphyxiating."

Splinter decided to halt the conversation before it could get any worse. And the best way to do that was to separate his sons. "Michelangelo, could you please begin making breakfast? Raphael, I am sure that both Leonardo and I would appreciate a cup of tea. And Donatello, could you find Ms. O'Neil and Ms. Triolini and let them know that Leonardo is awake? Also, please call Mr. Jones and share the news with him as well." As his sons dispersed, Splinter took a chair and gave his remaining son a warm smile. "Leonardo, I cannot tell you how glad it makes me to see you well again."

Leo struggled to bow, but was stopped by his sore plastron. He settled instead for giving his sensei a respectful nod. "I'm just as glad, Master Splinter. I'm also glad no one else was hurt, other than Iganna." He paused. "How is she, Master Splinter?" he asked curiously. "What's she like?"

His question reminded Splinter of their unnerving discussion the other night, and also alerted him to the fact that the topic of their discussion was walking into the kitchen at that very moment. He laid a hand on Leo's arm. "We will continue this discussion later, my son," he said softly.

Leo recognized the tone in his master's voice and nodded, dropping the subject. There was something about her that his family knew and wasn't letting on about. Unfortunately, he hadn't the slightest idea as to what that was, but he had the nagging feeling that it had something to do with his dream.

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The rest of the morning went by quickly at April's apartment. Casey came over and had to be forcibly held back by Raph so that he didn't further injure Leo with an over-exuberant bear hug. After breakfast, Raph, Mikey and Don engaged in a vicious game of Go Fish, the prize being that the winner was free from dish duty for the rest of the week. The fact that it was Mikey who emerged victorious irked his brothers; but it was the disturbing victory dance (a horrifying combination on the conga and disco) and the endless comments accompanying this win that caused the resulting explosion.

"Ohhhh, shell yeah, baby! Who's the turtle! That's right, _I'm_ the turtle!"

"I am the ultimate fisherman! Er, uh, fisher-_turtle_!"

"I came, I saw, I fished!"

"I have gone and fished your sorry shells all over the place! Have fun with the dishes, bros! Try not to get pruny fingers!"

"This just further proves that I am the greatest turtle. I mean, even if the Battle Nexus wasn't proof enough…" Just as he finished these words, several cards had fallen out of his wrist guard and landing on the floor.

Don picked up the cards and glared. "Mikey, were you cheating? _At Go Fish_!"

The turtle's guilty look said it all.

Raph lost it first. "Alright, that's it!" he snarled as he dove through the air at his youngest brother. "Donnie, back me up here!"

Don was following closely with a container of dish soap and a roll of duct tape. "I'm right behind ya, Raph."

Mikey's girlish screams for Splinter were quickly muffled.

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To Don and Raph's disappointment, Splinter appeared a mere five minutes after they dive tackled and started to "discipline" Mikey. But by the end of the abuse session, the two turtles had still been able to discover several important things.

One: Mikey could go from green to blue after two and a half minutes with no air.

Two: Blue is _definitely_ _not_ Mikey's color.

Three: Neither is yellow.

Four: He does, however, pull red off fairly well.

Five: It takes almost an entire roll of duct tape to secure a mutant turtle to a wall.

Six: Dish soap can make a mutant turtle sneeze soap suds.

Seven: Duct tape apparently can cause a mutant turtle some rather uncomfortable and unsightly rashes.

Eight: "He cheated at Go Fish" is not an acceptable excuse to give a Ninjitsu master as to why one of his students is duct taped to the wall and being force fed dish soap.

Nine: Puppy dog eyes, past the age of sixteen, are no longer effective ways to avoid punishment.

And Ten: it is exceptionally tiring to perform forty flips in a row.

But worth it to watch Mikey belch bubbles.

The rest of the day passed in a decidedly less active fashion. It took Mikey most of the afternoon to flush the dish soap out of his system, and after that and his lecture from Splinter on the necessity of humility and honesty, he was in no mood to create trouble. Raph and Don were both similarly quiet; after all, forty flips are enough to exhaust the most fit of turtles. Leo had managed to stay awake until Mikey's breath only had a hint of lemon-freshness left, but then ended up taking a nap until dinner, which was a much more subdued affair than lunch was. The occupants of April's apartment were recuperating after enjoying Mikey's famed spaghetti and meatballs when Splinter suddenly turned to Leo.

"My son, how are you feeling?" he asked abruptly.

The question took him slightly off guard, but he collected himself quickly. "Not too bad, Master Splinter. I do feel better after resting this afternoon."

Splinter nodded, deep in thought, then addressed the turtles. "My sons, we will be returning to the Lair tonight."

"What?" The entire table chorused.

The rat raised a paw for silence and spoke to the table as a whole. "We have been here four days already, and I do not wish to risk revealing ourselves by staying any longer." He turned to April. "Ms. O'Neil, please do not think me rude or ungrateful; your hospitality has been most gracious and appreciated. But I do not wish to risk bringing any danger to you by remaining your guests."

"You're always welcome to stay," April quickly told them. "I love having you guys over, but I guess I understand where you're coming from."

"I am glad you are not offended," the rat replied. He focused his gaze on Iganna next. "Ms. Triolini, I wish to thank you again for accepting my family and me as you have. Are you prepared to return home as well?"

The young woman nodded. "Yes, Master Splinter. Donatello removed the heavy bandages today; he said all I will need is some light ones until the end of the week."

"I am glad to hear it. We can escort you home if you wish."

"I can take her home, Master Splinter." The offer came from April. "You guys will need to be careful, and I can make sure that she doesn't have any trouble getting back."

"Thank you, Ms. O'Neil. If Ms. Triolini finds this acceptable, I would greatly appreciate you seeing her home." Splinter made to leave his chair but was stopped by a comment from one of his sons.

"But Master Splinter," Don interjected, "what about Leo? I'm not sure if he's up to the trek back to the Lair."

"Leonardo?" Splinter addressed his eldest son as he reacquired his seat. "Do you feel yourself prepared to return home?"

Leo fixed his gaze on his sensei. "I'm ready to go when you are, Master Splinter."

Raph pounded a fist on the table. "Like shell you are, Leo," he growled.

"Raphael, you will watch your language," Splinter reprimanded sharply.

The hotheaded turtle grimaced. "Yeah, sorry, Sensei. But Leo here ain't in no shape ta be goin' back ta tha Lair."

Leo glared at his younger brother. "I think I should be the judge of that, Raph."

"Ya can be tha judge of it when ya actually start thinkin', bro," Raph retorted. "Jus' last night ya scared us outta our shells when ya almost coughed up lung. Ain't no way yer ready ta be walkin' around town."

Mikey chuckled nervously, sensing a fight. "Hey, guys…can't we all just get along?"

"Stow it, bubble-breath," Raph snapped.

"Whoa, guys, cool it." Casey spoke up, grabbing everyone's attention. "Jus' calm down, I got a plan."

Raph snorted good-naturedly. "This can't be good."

"Can it, Raph," Casey shot back. "Look, I'm sorry, Leo, but I gotta go wit' Raph on dis one; ya don't look up ta walkin' back ta tha Lair."

The injured turtle glowered at the remark. "Casey, I am perfectly capable of-"

"Which is why I'm gonna drive ya guys most of tha way there," Casey finished, raising his voice over Leo's. He grinned at their faces. "Dat way, you guys can get home but Leo doesn't have ta walk as far."

"Will wonders never cease," Don teased, "twice in one week, Casey Jones saves the day again."

Splinter was silent for a few moments before bowing his head to Casey. "I think that would be ideal, Mr. Jones; I thank you for the offer." Standing, he motioned to the turtles. "Come, my sons; if it is alright with Mr. Jones, we will leave within the hour."

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**A/N: Woo! 'Tis finally done! The chapter, I mean, not the story. Obviously. Crikey, these suckers just keep getting longer, don't they? I'm not planning it that way, it just sort of happens. Not that you guys object, though, right? Sheesh. I'm going to end up spoiling you. Ah well. I was happy with this one, especially the "torture" part. XD That was insanely fun to write. Was it fun to read?**

**On to other news. Does anyone know of a good site where I can find translations for Japanese words? There are some I'd like to find out, and I'd like to be able to use others in my stories in the future. So if any of you out there could let me know, I would really appreciate it.**

**Anywho, R&R please, and I love all of you guys who have reviewed so far. Thanks so much:D**


	8. The Journey Home

_**Disclaimer:** See any of my previous SEVEN disclaimers in previous chapters. If I owned 'em, you'd know. Why? 'Cause I'd be on here gloating._

_Thanks to **FF Demon, coldsunshin, Pi90katana, Tewi, Dierdre and** **BubblyShell22 **for reviewing Chapter Seven._

_And special thanks to these authors, who never fail to review each chapter and have helped so much with my desire to continue this story._

_And now without further ado, I give you…Chapter Eight._

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It took very little time for the turtles and Splinter to prepare to leave. Seeing as how they couldn't bring much to April's, the most they had to gather up was Don's medical supplies, and the odd comic book, courtesy of Mikey. Meanwhile, Splinter insisted that Leo lie down in order to have as much energy as possible for the journey back home.

Leo, of course, was less than fond of this idea.

"But Master Splinter," he objected as his sensei forced him onto the couch, "I don't really need to lie down. We'll have to leave soon anyway, so it'd be a waste of time for me to get all situated just to have to get up again. And besides, I feel fine."

"That may be, Leonardo, but regardless, you will rest until we leave. I feel that I agree somewhat with Raphael's opinion; you did just awaken yesterday, and your coughing attack weakened you."

"But if I'm well enough for us to be returning to the Lair," Leo argued, "wouldn't I be well enough to just wait with you until we leave?" One look at Splinter's face and he bowed his head. "I'm sorry for arguing, Sensei."

"It is alright, Leonardo. I understand that you are anxious to be back on your feet, but you _will_ allow yourself enough time to heal. While you do need to regain your strength by remaining active, too much activity will only make your condition worse," Splinter reprimanded his eldest son lightly. "As for why we are leaving now, I trust Donatello's judgment in deeming that you are indeed doing better. And I feel that the sooner we return to the Lair, the better."

Leo raised his head, curiosity mingled with concern on his features. "What do you mean, Sensei? Is something wrong?"

Splinter studied his son, then smiled to himself ruefully. Of all of his sons, Leonardo was often the one most attuned to others' actions and emotions. As he was about to answer, Iganna walked into the living room, and Splinter's eyes moved to her, then meaningfully returned to his son. The moment his eyes met Leo's, Splinter watched as his son's eyes widened, then narrowed, as he read the truth in his father's gaze. A myriad of emotions crossed the turtle's face, and Splinter wondered at what he saw. _Concern, that is understandable_, he mused. _Anger, also expected…but fear? Why does this woman trigger such an emotion from my son? Especially when we have not yet told him of our suspicions?_

Leo, meanwhile, was wondering at what he had seen in Splinter's eyes. _Sensei's worried about something…and it has to do with this woman…Iganna? For some reason, he doesn't want to be around her any longer than we have to. But why? Does it have anything to do with my dream?_

An anguished cry broke him out of his thoughts. "LEO! HELP!"

The sound of one of his brothers in danger triggered an immediate reaction; the blue-banded turtle leapt to his feet, muscles tense and ready for battle, hands already at his back to grasp his swords…_My katana!_ _Where are they!_ Another yell banished the thought from his head, and he ran towards the sound, determined to save his brother. The scream had to have been Mikey, since he was the only one of Leo's brothers who screamed like a scared little girl. He entered the kitchen, every sense on guard, to find…

Mikey huddled in a corner while Raph attacked him with a squirt gun.

"What the shell?" The dazed question was all he could manage. He had been expecting to find his brother in mortal danger, not being threatened by a Super Soaker.

At his words, both Raph and Mikey turned to look at him. Raph looked disgruntled at his older brother's interference, while Mikey was wide-eyed with relief.

"Leo! Thank shell you're here! You gotta help me!" The youngest turtle was nearly frantic.

"Help you with what, Mikey?"

"It's Raph! He won't stop spraying me!"

"This I can see. So?"

"SO!" Mikey repeated, outrage evident in his voice. "So he'll trash my comics!" He carefully gestured to a plastic bag bursting with comic books, which was currently wedged between him and the wall.

Leo shook his head and grimaced. His wound was now loudly protesting his sudden movements, and he groped for a chair, nearly falling into it. The effects of his dash into the kitchen were taking their toll, and he sat down heavily, breathing hard.

"Hey, Leo, you okay, bro?"

Leo glanced up to see Raph peering at him worriedly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just got up too fast." As a smirk made its way onto Raph's face, Leo groaned inwardly. _Oh great, here comes the "I told you so"._

"I told ya, Leo," Raph said, a slightly smug look on his face. Leo almost laughed at how closely his brother's words mirrored his thoughts. "Ya ain't ready ta be runnin' around."

"That doesn't mean I can't walk, Raph," Leo snapped. "And unless the Foot suddenly jump us in the sewers and threaten us with water guns, I'll be fine." Biting back a groan, he made his way slowly to his feet and walked stiffly back into the living room.

As soon as he left, Raph swore and chucked the water gun at Mikey. "Shell-for-brains."

"Owww…" Mikey whined. "What the shell was that for?"

"That was fer you bein' a sissy an' yellin' for Leo ta come help ya."

"But you were gonna trash my comics! These are collectables!" Mikey protested indignantly. "Besides, if I was threatening your Shell Cycle with a new "paint job", you'd've called for Leo too."

Raph snorted. "Not a chance in shell. I don't need "Fearless Leader" over there watchin' my shell. I'da just taken care of ya myself. Which you oughta be doin' too. Or ya at least shoulda jus' called fer Donnie instead."

Mikey's face took on a sheepish look. "Well, normally I might have, but after a small…incident this morning, I'm afraid I'm not exactly on our brother Donatello's "happy list" at the moment."

Raph cocked an eye ridge at his youngest brother. "Ya did tha "Mystery Mouth" thing on 'im, didn't ya?"

The orange-banded turtle grinned. "Yeah."

"Yer burnin' yer bridges, Mikey. Next time Don'll prob'ly _help_ me kick yer shell." Raph shook his head at his brother's antics as he hauled him up off the floor. "Come on, get yer crap together. Ya already pissed me off, screamin' like a little girl jus' 'cause I might get yer dumb comics wet. Shell. Ya better not hold us up when we leave, too." He picked up the bag of comics and shoved it into Mikey's hands before turning to stalk out of the kitchen.

Mikey quieted suddenly, staring at his brother. "What's really buggin' you, Raph? I know you're not just ticked 'cause of the whole "girly screaming and not getting to pummel me" thing."

The words stopped Raph in his path. He clenched his fists and was silent. A minute later he turned around, leaning against the doorjamb and crossing his arms in front of him. "It's Leo," he growled. "He ain't in no shape ta be goin' topside, or goin' anywhere fer dat matter. But the one time Mastah Splintah _needs_ ta be ridin' Leo's shell an' keepin' 'im quiet, instead he's havin' us go back ta tha Lair. Now Leo's runnin' around thinkin' he's ready ta be tha big-shot hero again, an' you callin' fer help ain't helpin' matters, eithah," Raph added, glaring at his brother, who grinned guiltily. "An' not knowin' what dis broad is doin' pisses me off. An' I keep gettin' this feeling that it ain't somethin' natural, an' it's gonna get worse before it gets better."

"I think that's why Sensei wants to go, Raph," Mikey pointed out. "He's freaked out by Iganna too, and I think he wants to get her away from Leo. And us too."

"Yer prob'ly right," the older turtle grumbled. "I jus' wish I knew what da shell is goin' on."

"Don't worry, bro, I'm sure we'll figure it out." Mikey slung a comforting arm around his brother's shoulders. "Or if we can't, we'll just make Don do it."

"Story of my life." A wry voice interrupted, and the two turtles looked up to see their brainy brother standing in the doorway. "So are you guys ready to get home or what?"

"Shell yes," Raph said, cracking his neck from side to side. "I miss my hammock an' my room. Sleepin' in a chair fer three days ain't exactly my idea of restful."

"You think you miss _your_ room? I myself can hardly contain my joy at the thought of being able to put a locked door between me and Mikey," Don muttered.

Raph's laughter bounced around the hallway as he and Don left the kitchen. "What'sa matter, Donnie? Ain't enjoyin' yer quality time wit' our favorite pain in the shell?"

"No."

"Um, guys, you do know I can still hear you, right?" Mikey interrupted crossly.

"Yep." The two chorused.

"You guys suck," the turtle grumbled under his breath as they entered the living room. Everything was packed, and April was checking Leo's bandages before she left.

"Alright, Leo, everything still looks okay. Remember, no sudden moves, get lots of rest, and _no_ _practicing_," April said sternly. The other three turtles snickered at the look on Leo's face. While he wouldn't hesitate to tackle Raph in his worst mood, Leo (and all of them) knew better than to get on April's bad side. After all, just look what happened to Casey.

"Yes, Mother," Leo muttered quietly.

"What was that?"

"N-nothing, April," he covered quickly, bowing as he did so. "Thanks for letting us stay here, and for…well, everything."

April smiled. "Anytime, Leo. I've got to admit, though, this seems to be becoming a trend; you getting hurt and showing up at my place."

A wry grin covered Leo's face. "I hate to agree with you, but you've got a point. Trust me, though, I'm not doing it on purpose." Everyone in the room joined in the laughter.

"My sons." Splinter's quiet voice interrupted. "I believe we should be going now. Leonardo, your katana are already in the van. Ms. O'Neil, I cannot thank you enough for your friendship. You are enough to warm an old rat's heart. And Ms. Triolini, I shall never forget you. I will keep our meeting and time together always in my mind." He bowed to each human, then helped Leo as he made his way out to where Casey was waiting with his van.

Iganna looked bewildered at Splinter's words. "I can't believe he thinks that highly of me," she managed softly.

Don patted her shoulder quickly as he followed Splinter with the supplies. "Believe it. Master Splinter means everything he says."

Mikey carefully nudged Raph. "Is it just me, or did what Sensei said sound more bad than good?"

"It ain't just you, Mikey. Sounded more like a threat or a warnin' ta me, 'specially with what Don said," his brother replied, then shrugged. "Eh, this is givin' me a headache. Let's go." Raising his voice, he waved to April and Iganna. "April, thanks fer lettin' us crash here. And Iganna, maybe I'll see ya around some time." _Ya can count on it._

"Do you really have to leave?"

Iganna's question caught Mikey off guard; so did the desperation in her voice. _Most chicks are glad when we leave. Now she wants us to stay?_ Spreading his hands in a gesture of defeat, Mikey forced a grin. "Sorry, but the "Mutant Express" is on the move. See ya!" He beat a hasty retreat, following his brothers down the stairs.

The two women watched him leave, then April surreptitiously glanced at Iganna out of the corner of her eye. _That's odd. She looks…mad that the guys are leaving. I mean, I know **I'd** miss them, but she's only just met them._ Shaking her musings aside, April tapped the other woman on the shoulder. "You ready to go?"

Iganna blinked, her normal gracious smile back on her face. "Yes. Thank you very much for offering to drive me home."

"It's no problem," April assured her as she grabbed her purse. "Ready?"

Iganna cast a quick glance at the direction the turtles had gone. "…Yes. Everything will be fine."

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"I call dibs on shotgun!" Mikey raced past his brothers, leaving a small breeze in his wake.

"Like anyone's going to fight you to sit next to Casey," Don said wryly, rolling his eyes.

"Shell. I was gonna sit up front with Case," Raph groused.

One of Don's eye ridges went so high that it nearly relocated to the back of his head. "Raph, do you realize that this is the same Casey you so charmingly called "whipped"?"

"Oh, right."

"Not to mention Mikey would be sitting behind you. And I trust I don't have to remind you of what happened the last time you turned your back to him."

"Point taken, Don." As they watched Leo slowly make his way into the back of the van, he snorted. "Instead we're gonna watch "Fearless Leader" here and make sure he doesn't fall outta his safety seat."

"You know, Raph, you're nowhere near as quiet as you think you are." Leo's irritated voice drifted back to them, accompanied by a glare as they got closer. "And in case you didn't know, sound tends to echo in a garage."

"Yeah, well, I figure I might as well crack on ya while yer outta commission fer the time bein'," Raph joked, "'cause Don, Splintah, _and_ April will all wax yer shell if ya try an' get up ta pummel me."

"April doesn't live with us, Raph," Leo pointed out threateningly.

"No, but I do, Leonardo," Splinter said. "And you _will_ take the necessary time to recover."

Leo rolled his eyes. "Yes, Master Splinter." They tried to make themselves comfortable on the floor in the back of the van, staying out of sight as Casey pulled out onto the road.

"Do you guys want me ta drop ya off at da warehouse wit' the Battle Shell?"

"No," Don replied. "That warehouse is supposed to be abandoned, and seeing anyone around it will make things messy. If you could drop us off at the alley at Seventh and Prinstley, that would be great. It's only a ten or fifteen minute walk back to the Lair from there."

"You got it, Donnie."

Leo was listening absently to the conversation when something caught his attention. There were several stains on the floor, dark spots and splashes that stood out easily. And Leo had seen enough similar stains in his life to know what they were.

Blood.

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As Don watched, Leo reached down to carefully touch the bloodstains. He shuddered inwardly as he remembered how they got there. His oldest brother's voice broke through his thoughts.

"This is mine, isn't it?"

Don looked up to see Leo staring at the floor, a blank look on his face. The images began flashing through his head from that night.

_Leo lying there, so pale, so cold-_

_I'll need bandages, morphine, antiseptic…_

_Blood all over the alley, all over the van, all over his brother-_

_I have to remove the bullet, check for internal damage…Have to get him inside..._

_Check for a pulse…what if there isn't one?-_

_Shell, will he be alright? Is he going to live?_

"Yes," Don affirmed quietly. "It is."

The eldest turtle fell to silently studying the floor again. "I didn't know I had that much blood in me."

"You've got even more than that, Leo. If you didn't…you wouldn't be here."

The deadened tone in the brainy turtle's voice caused Leo to look up. As he studied his younger brother, the emotions on Don's face finally hit him. He carefully scooted over to sit by Don and put a consoling arm around his brother's trembling shoulders.

"It's okay, Don," Leo soothed. "I'm alright."

Don choked and buried his face in Leo's shoulder. "You might be, but I'm not. You didn't see you, Leo; you looked like you were dead. I thought I'd lost you. I couldn't operate at first; I was so scared I'd mess something up."

"But you didn't," Leo reminded him. "Don, you are one person in this world I know I can always count on. And you pulled through like you always do; I'm fine, you're all okay, and we're going home."

The words had the desired effect. Don's muscles relaxed and his breathing evened out. "You don't know how good that sounds, Leo."

"Wanna bet?" Leo asked dryly. They both chuckled.

"Yo, guys," a voice interrupted, "I hate ta break up yer little brotherly moment, but we're here."

Don watched as Leo's eyes darted to the windows and he lifted himself carefully. "That was fast. It normally takes longer than that to get here." The thought stuck in his head, and he met Casey's eyes in the rearview mirror, noting the guilty look on the man's face. "Casey…"

"Uh, yeah, Leo?"

"You followed the speed limit, right? You wouldn't have been speeding, would you?" The warning tone had crept into Leo's voice.

"Well, um, ya see, anytime ya drive could really be considered, uh, speeding, 'cause, ya know, yer goin', uh, forward with speed an' everythin'…" The man rambled, carefully not meeting Leo's gaze.

"Casey, the little numbers on the side of the road are the _law_, not a suggestion," Leo groaned. "Do you know how hard it would be to explain to a policeman why the van he pulled over for speeding is full of mutated creatures?"

"Aw, give it a rest, Leo," Raph interjected. "It's bettah that we got here fast, that way we aren't at risk of bein' discovered any longer than we gotta be."

"Good point," Leo admitted grudgingly. "Alright, let's get going." He carefully hauled himself to his feet, grimacing as he did so. Don moved forward as if to help him, but was quickly waved off. The rest of the turtles and Splinter exited the van as well.

"Mr. Jones, I wish to thank you for the ride," the rat told Casey as Don and Raph removed the lid for the manhole.

"Aw, it ain't no problem, Master Splinter," Casey assured, rubbing his head awkwardly. "'Sides, April can't be mad at me if I ain't in the apartment."

Mikey laughed. "But you've gotta go back sometime, Casey. She'll just hunt you down otherwise. And besides, she knows where you live."

"Crap." The man winced as he started the van back up. "If she kills me, Raph, you can have my bats and hockey sticks."

"Gee, Case, I don't know what ta say," Raph drawled. He waved as Casey set off, and joined Don at the manhole. "Everyone else down already?"

"Yep," Don replied as they made their way down the ladder. He paused to wait for Raph to replace the lid, then continued down. "You're bringing up the rear."

"Eh, it's better than goin' down first an' worryin' 'bout Leo passing out an' landin' on me."

"Raph, didn't we already cover the idea of an echo?" Leo's voice wafted through the tunnel, his tone clearly irritated.

"Yeah, an' I don't care anymore this time than I did last time, Fearless," Raph shot back. "'Sides, I ain't _tryin_' ta be quiet."

"I love you, too, Raph," Leo remarked dryly.

"Can't we go anywhere without you two fighting?" Don inquired tiredly.

"No." Two voices chorused. Raph and Leo shared a cocky grin.

Don threw his hands in the air. "Why do I bother?"

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Leo stopped for a moment, leaning against the tunnel wall in order to regain his breath. Mikey was leading the strange procession, running in order to get home in time to watch Teen Titans; Don and Master Splinter were following behind, Don questioning Splinter about the scientific make-up of the Battle Nexus universe; Raph walked behind them, and Leo was bringing up the rear. However, the longer they walked, the further Leo dragged behind. His wound had been paining him ever since they climbed the ladder down into the tunnel, and it had only gotten worse since then. Now he was bracing himself against the wall, gasping shallowly for breath. His knees were shaking and he slowly slid to the floor.

_Dammit…_he thought weakly. _Raph was right. I'm not in any shape to be doing this. Why did it have to be **Raph** that was right?_

He sat there for several minutes, listening as the voices of his family grew farther and farther away. _I do **not** want to have to explain this to them…_ He could just imagine their responses: Master Splinter would look concerned, and would be disappointed that Leo hadn't admitted how much his wound was bothering him; Don would have that same tight, worried look on his face that he had had in the van; Mikey would be struggling to keep a normal smile on his face; and Raph would, again, be ready and waiting with an "I-told-you-so".

_Okay, Leo, you need to get up now_, he told himself silently. _If you don't want to face that, you need to get up. You can just tell them you were checking something, like a crack in one of the tunnels, or…shell, anything. Just GET UP, Leo._

"Leo?"

The voice broke Leo out of his reverie. He looked up, and almost groaned to see Raph standing there. The last person he wanted to see him weak and down was Raph, and yet here he was.

_Shell._

"You okay, bro?" Raph asked, a concerned look on his face.

"I'm fine." Leo struggled to keep his tone even.

"'Course ya are. That's why yer sittin' on tha floor, right?" Raph sighed when Leo refused to answer. He reached a hand down to Leo. "Come on, we need ta catch up wit' the others."

"I don't need your help," Leo said stubbornly, swatting away Raph's hand. Pushing off the ground and clinging to the wall, he managed to get himself to his feet. The effort left him shaky and breathless, but he refused to stop. _If Raph thinks I'm in bad shape, he'll tell Master Splinter, and I'll be stuck in bed for a month._ Gathering all his strength he forced his legs to take one step, then another, carefully removing his hands from the support of the wall. But a few seconds later, he was leaning back against it, gripping his plastron in an attempt to ease the pain building there. _Shell_, he swore, the breath rasping in his lungs, _this just keeps getting better and better_.

"Leo!" Raph was beside him in an instant. "Bro, you look like shell."

"Thanks…for the vote…of confidence, Raph," Leo managed to get out.

Forcing Leo to look at him, Raph spoke seriously. "Ya know I'm always here for ya, bro. Let me help."

"I don't need…any help. I'll be fine."

Raph exploded. "Dammit, Leo, what is it wit' you an' admittin' ya need help! Ya look like shell an' ya can barely walk. Yer always after me ta let ya help me when I jus' want ya off my back. Ya always tell me too much pride will tear ya down. Ya keep tellin' me family's tha most important thing. Well, I'm family, bro, and if you'll get yer head outta yer ass, I can help."

Leo stared at Raph, and a small smile grew on his face. "And here I thought…you never bothered to listen to me."

"Yeah, well, I've tried tunin' ya out, believe me. But ya jus' keep talkin' an' I'm bound ta pick somethin' up eventually." Both turtles laughed. "C'mon, Leo, let's get ya home."

The older turtle sighed in defeat. "Fine."

"I knew you'd see it my way." Raph looped Leo's arm around his shoulders, and, placing his own arm around Leo's back for extra support, set off down the tunnel. About five minutes later they were outside the door to the Lair, the rest of their family already inside. But instead of entering their home, Leo stopped. Raph glanced over at his brother, confused. "What? You expectin' me ta carry ya over tha threshold or somethin'? 'Cause let me tell ya, bro, it ain't happenin'."

Leo met Raph's gaze, then looked away. Raph continued to stare at him, growling as he tried to figure out what was going through his brother's mind. One thing that always pissed Raph off was how well Leo could hide his thoughts and feelings when he wanted to. _Makes him damn hard ta make fun of…an' even harder ta read_. Raph sighed as his less than expansive patience finally wore out. "Leo, I ain't no mind reader. What the shell's goin' on?" Leo murmured something softly that Raph couldn't catch. "One more time?"

"I said, I don't think I can make it up to my room right now." Leo's voice had a hard tone to it.

"Shit, Leo!" Raph swore violently, his brother's admission scaring him. "This is why I didn't want ya ta leave April's place! Ya can barely walk, an' yer out here runnin' around tha sewers. I _said_ ya weren't ready, an' now look-"

_Look_.

The word stuck in Raph's mind, repeating as if someone was talking to him. _What? Look at what? _The turtle broke off in the middle of his rant as it hit him: look at Leo.

His brother was staring at the ground, his legs shaking visibly. The weight he leaned on Raph had increased from almost nothing to almost everything, and his breath was coming in ragged pants. Sweat was visible on his forehead, and Raph swore again mentally when he caught the slight pink tinge on his brother's bandages. _Leo ain't in no shape ta be out here; but he's also in no shape fer me ta be yellin' at 'im. An' I know it wasn't easy fer 'im ta tell me that._ He sighed again.

"Shell, Leo, why didn't ya say nothin' before?"

"Because I couldn't."

"What? Like shell ya couldn't! Shit, Leo, if yer gonna be collapsin' on me, I'd want ya ta tell me!"

"That's not what I'm talking about, Raph," Leo stated quietly. "I'm…I'm not allowed to get hurt. I need to be around to protect you. It's my job. And you all think I'm invincible, the "Fearless Leader". Don told me what happened the last time I got hurt; you guys were falling apart. I'm responsible for keeping the family safe and together. I've got to be strong; because that's the only way you will respect me. I failed you by getting hurt, and I'm failing you now for being too weak."

Raph stared at his older brother, unable to believe what he was hearing. _What tha shell? How can he think that? Did we make him think that? Did I?_ Shoving away the uncomfortable strains of guilt that were welling up in him, he reached over and slapped Leo upside the head.

"Ow! What the shell was that for, Raph!" Leo's outrage was evident as he rubbed the sore spot on his head.

"That's fer you bein' a shell-for-brains. You _failed_ us? What tha shell is that all about? How the shell is it yer fault some bastahd punk shot you? Ya only just woke up, Leo; ain't no one expectin' ya ta be in top shape already. An' yeah, we're used ta ya bein' perfect, but that don't mean ya gotta be." Raph sighed, looking at his brother. "I prob'ly won't ever say this again, Leo, but I already respect ya. Ya don't gotta recover immediately after bein' shot for me ta respect ya. An' we all protect each othah, it ain't just yer job. Ya ain't alone, Leo; an' one thing ya've never done is let us down."

Leo looked at Raph for a long moment. "Really?"

"Of course, really. So shut up, 'cause I ain't one fer all this mushy crap."

A smile made its way onto Leo's face. "Thanks, Raph." Then a few seconds later, a small chuckle snuck from Leo's throat. "Isn't it great how it takes me being shot before we actually talk to each other?"

Raph's reply was a snort. "No, but at least we're consistent." Bringing his thoughts back to the matter at hand, he sighed. "So how tha shell are we gonna get yer sorry ass inside without anyone realizin' yer about as good as road kill?" They were both silent for several moments before Leo spoke up.

"You could give me a piggy-back ride," he suggested. "The shock from the sight might overload their brains and give us enough time to get upstairs." They both looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Leo, fun as that might be and as much as I'd love ta see Don, Mikey and Mastah Splintah's faces at the sight of that, I really don't wanna be haulin' yer butt up tha stairs," Raph commented. "Any chance of you makin' it on yer own?"

Leo silently assessed his current state. "If you could give me enough of a distraction for a couple minutes, I might be able to make a break for the stairs."

"So what, should I go runnin' in there an' punch Mikey or somethin'?" Leo's only answer was a glare. "Eh, it was worth a shot." The two turtles thought some more. "Well, why don't we jus' go wit' what always works?"

"Which is…?" Leo prompted.

Raph smirked. "I go runnin' in there yellin' 'bout you bein' a prick who needs ta get off my back, an' you come walkin' in lecturin', then roll yer eyes an' go off ta yer room."

Leo was silent for a minute before a smile grew on his face. "You know, that's crazy enough, it just might work."

The comment brought a laugh from Raph. "It oughta. Shell, last time we did that, I was able ta sneak an 'R' rated movie inta tha Lair while everyone was busy stayin' outta tha way."

"What?" Leo glared at his younger brother. "Raph…"

"Don't start, bro," Raph warned threateningly. "Not unless ya want me ta dump yer butt right here. I'd like ta see ya explain ta Sensei why yer crawlin' inta the Lair."

Leo grimaced quickly, then struggled to regain his composure. "I suppose that just this once I will overlook it…"

"I bet ya will," Raph said. "So, we ready ta do this?"

"Ready as I'll ever be. What are we gonna be arguing about?"

Raph's face took on a blank look. "We normally have a reason?"

"Good point," Leo conceded. "But it usually at least starts from something."

"Why don't we tell 'em tha truth?" Seeing the look Leo shot at him, Raph placated his brother. "Lemme finish. I'll go in there yellin' 'bout how yer a prick, which ya are, and how ya shouldn't be walkin' around down here, which _everyone_ knows ya shouldn't. Plus, everyone will think I'm overreactin' and won't pay any attention if yer movin' a little slower than usual."

The older turtle thought the plan over, then nodded. "Works for me. But leave out the "prick" part."

"I thought we wanted this ta be believable," Raph drawled.

"Pick a finger, Raph," Leo retorted, borrowing one of his brother's favorite lines.

"I love ya too, Leo," Raph mimicked Leo's comment from earlier. Punching in the entry code for the door, he steadied Leo on his feet. "Ya ready?"

Leo took a deep breath. "Ready as I'll ever be. And Raph? ...Thanks."

Raph clapped Leo on the shoulder. "No problem, bro." As the door slid open, he strode forward, shooting a grin back at his brother. "Let the games begin."

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"Does anyone know where Leo and Raph are?"

Don's question rang through the Lair, but Mikey was the only one around. Splinter had already retreated to his room to prepare his medicinal herbs and put some tea on, and Mikey was watching his show on the couch. Don had been waiting with fresh bandages for the past five minutes, but his injured brother was nowhere to be seen.

"You don't think they killed each other, do you?" Mikey asked suddenly.

Don was about to reply when the door to the Lair opened, and Raph came storming in.

"I swear, Leo, ya can be such a pain in tha shell!"

Leo followed at a slower pace. "Raphael, you're overreacting."

"Like shell I am!" Raph snapped. "Yer not foolin' anyone! Ya need ta be lyin' down, _Grandpa_, not playin' "Fearless Leadah" like ya always do. And I'll be happy ta help by knockin' ya on yer shell!"

Don interrupted. "Guys! Could you stop fighting for once? What took you guys so long?" He looked back and forth between his brothers. Raph had his usual scowl in place, and the exhausted look Leo normally wore during such fights was also present, though more pronounced than it normally was. Mikey took one look at his brothers and sighed, turning back to the TV.

Leo sighed. "Raph decided that I was so badly off he needed five minutes to tell me about it."

"Try again, "Fearless", Raph retorted. "If I recall correctly, yer tha one who was doin' an impression of a corpse out there an' tellin' me you were "fine"."

"Oh, for crying out loud," Leo said, exasperated, as he made his way to the stairs. "Fine. Since you clearly think I'm on my deathbed, I'll just go upstairs and kick the bucket. Will that make you happy?"

"Shell yes," Raph growled.

"Raph!" Don admonished. "What the shell!"

"Calm down, Don; Leo's too stubborn ta die an' leave me tha shell alone," Raph pushed past his brother and made a beeline for the fridge.

Don could feel his blood pressure rising, and it shot the rest of the way up when Raph pulled out the milk and started drinking from the carton. "Raph, how many times have I said not to do that?"

"What, are you gonna start ridin' my shell too, Don?"

All Don could manage was a strangled cry of frustration. He massaged his temples furiously, the beginnings of a migraine dancing behind his eyes. But as he left the kitchen, he noticed that Leo had only just reached the top of the stairs, and was moving much too slowly towards his room. The suspicion that had begun to form in his mind grew, and he glanced at Raph. Don's other older brother had abandoned all pretense of looking for something to eat, and was watching Leo's shaky process with a rare intensity. And then it all clicked for Don: they had planned this. The fight, making a big scene, all of it was to distract him, Mikey and Splinter from the fact that Leo really wasn't ready to be up. Don shook his head ruefully; he had to admit that it was convincing. He opened his mouth to say something, then changed his mind.

His two older brothers were finally getting along for once. Who was he to mess that up?

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**A/N: Eight chapters already. Crikey. Oh yeah, and Super Soakers belong to…um, the Super Soaker company. . Don't know their name, but yeah. And major apologies for not getting this out yesterday. I tried, but I just had trouble getting this written. So now you get it a day later, but hopefully it is good enough to make up for it. I'm still trying to keep the one update a week schedule, so please bear with me.**

**On another note, I wanted to comment on Raph's behavior. Some of you might see it as a little OOC, since Raph and Leo aren't normally that open with each other. This is just my interpretation of it. Raph's already been faced with nearly losing Leo once, and after it happening again, I think he'd have a change of heart. But only a small one. **

**Also, a question to my fellow US or Ohio writers: does anyone know when the new TMNT episodes will be starting back up? They've been rerunning the old ones for a couple weeks now, and I'm wondering if anyone knows whether they're planning on doing all the old episodes all the way up to the "Old One", or if they'll start new ones sooner than that. If you could let me know, or just offer a guess, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!**

**As usual, R&R, please! I keep getting lots of hits for each chapter, which I really appreciate. Please, review too and make me feel loved:D**


	9. Facing the Facts

_**Disclaimer:** I claim no possession of the TMNT, merely my character and this storyline. But if anyone cares, I DO own the movie "Spaceballs". Which, by the by, is a great movie. XD_

_Thanks to **Tewi, Leonardo15, BubblyShell22, Digmon Girl, Ted, and Pi90katana.**_

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Leo barely had time to close the door behind him before his knees gave out. He collapsed on the floor, breathing shallowly. He strained his ears, but he didn't hear anyone coming up the stairs. _I guess they bought it. Raph and I were lucky that Master Splinter was already in his room_.

Now that the excitement was over, Leo felt the last of the adrenalin draining from his veins. Groaning as the throbbing returned to his plastron, he eyed the corner of the room that normally held his futon. The only thing he wanted to do now was lie down and go to sleep for about a year; unfortunately, that required moving. A lot of it. As in, get up, get the futon out of the closet, unfold it, set it up, and _then_ go to sleep. The thought of that much movement nearly exhausted him further. _Well, sleeping on the floor might not be that bad. _He glanced around him. A few feet to his right were his desk and bookshelf, everything orderly and neat. To his left was the small area of mats that he had set up so he could meditate when the dojo was occupied. _Perfect. Now if I can just haul my shell over there…_

Leo experimentally planted his feet underneath him, but his legs were too shaky. _There is no way I'm seriously going to have to crawl over there, right? It's just a few feet; I've walked about a mile already, a few more feet is nothing._ However, another futile attempt at standing quickly convinced him that walking wasn't an option. _Shell. How am I gonna get over there? I guess I could call Raph…He already knows I'm tired, and I could pretend to call him up here to lecture him._ As soon as the thought entered his mind, it was soon followed by a vivid idea of just what his brother would say in such a situation.

…_Right_, Leo thought. _Crawling it is._

This decided, he shifted himself to his hands and knees, shuffling forward a few inches. His arms were decidedly less tired than his legs, so it was fairly easy going. However, if he moved too fast or stretched too far, his stitches would pull unpleasantly. He was reduced to a slow crawl, grumbling over the fact that he was in this position, yet fervently thankful that none of his brothers were here to witness this. _I'd never hear the end of it. I'd never even be allowed out of bed ever again_.

By the time he made it over to the mat, he was too tired to be angry with his condition. At this point, sleep sounded like the best thing in the world. Wincing at the movements, he propped himself up against the wall and folded his legs into a meditation pose in case anyone came to check up on him. Closing his eyes, he was soon fast asleep.

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Raph replaced the milk carton with unnatural care, trying to make the least amount of noise possible. He'd been straining his ears for the past five minutes, ever since he saw Leo close the door to his room. He was trying to hear anything coming from his older brother's room, and then trying hard to decipher any sound he did manage to hear. So far, he'd only managed to hear one vague thump, and then the rest was drowned out by the sound of Mikey's TV show. Raph couldn't ask him to turn it down, because he knew Mikey would want to know why. And he couldn't very well say "because I want to see if I can hear whether Leo's dead in his room or not". He growled under his breath, upset with the whole situation. He was glad that their ruse had worked; after all, Mikey was oblivious to anything, Splinter was still meditating, and Don hadn't emerged from his lab since they'd returned. But he still didn't like his brother needing help just to walk, let alone need a diversion to make it up the stairs on his own.

"Is there any particular reason you're growling at the refrigerator?" A calm voice interrupted his thoughts.

Looking up, he saw Don leaning against the wall, eyeing him with a bemused look on his face. Raph growled again. There was a knowing look in Don's eye that he recognized, the one he got when he'd solved a challenging problem or figured something out that he'd been working on. And in this case, it was a look Raph didn't like. _Shell, he better not've figured anythin' out_._ I don't mind helpin' Leo, but I ain't takin' no crap 'bout it from Don and Mikey._ "I'm just lookin' fer somethin' ta eat."

"Well, you're letting all the cold air out," Don remarked calmly. "At this rate, everything will be rotten before you decide what you want."

Muttering a comment about turtles who thought they knew everything, Raph shut the door. He stalked past his brother, heading towards the dojo to blow off some steam, when a hand caught his elbow. Looking back, he saw that Don had him by the arm. "What? D'ya need somethin', brainiac?"

Don sighed at the nickname. "As a matter of fact, yes. Could you come with me to my lab, please?"

"What for? I was gonna go get a workout," the turtle grumbled. He had a sinking suspicion that he knew what Don wanted, and he was going to do his best to get out of it.

Don leveled a hard gaze at his brother. "Raph." His voice carried a slight warning, as well as a hard tone his brothers rarely heard him use.

_Damnit_, Raph thought, then sighed. _Ah shell, might as well get this over with._ "Alright, I'm comin'." Following the brainy turtle into the subway car that served as the lab, he leaned against the doorway and folded his arms. "So what can I do fer ya?"

Don quirked an eye ridge at his brother. "For starters, you can drop the innocent act, Raph. And then you can tell me why you and Leo had to stage a fight to get him into the Lair."

_Shell,_ Raph swore again. _Why'd we have ta have a smart turtle? Why couldn't we have just had another Mikey?_ The thought sent shudders down his spine. _Never mind_. Joining his brother at the table, he sat down and sighed again. "How'd ya know?"

A satisfied smile crossed Don's face at Raph's unspoken admittance that something _was_ in fact going on. "Well, for starters, there's the fact that Leo gave up on your fight _way_ too quickly. Neither of you ever give up on a fight; normally you just get sick of it and storm out."

Raph shook his head. "When tha shell did we become so damn predictable? If it were anyone else, we'd've gotten away wit' it."

"Yeah, but "anyone else" hasn't been living with you two and watching you fight for 16 years," Don pointed out reasonably. "And considering how you have about three or four fights a week, at 52 weeks in a year, that means approximately-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get tha point," Raph interrupted. "What's tha next thing?"

"The next thing was that Leo looked totally wiped out. I mean, when you guys fight, he normally looks tired to some extent, but then it's just exasperation. The look on his face was out-and-out exhaustion." Don looked at Raph, and the dark look on his brother's features pushed him on.

"After that, there was the fact that it had taken Leo way too long to climb the stairs, especially if he was trying to get away from you. And he was leaning on the wall for support to get down the hall to his room."

Raph pushed up to his feet and paced, the talk of Leo's condition aggravating him. "I told him he wasn't ready," he mumbled, more to himself than to his brother. He glanced up at Don. "What was tha last thing?"

"You."

Don's statement surprised the hotheaded turtle. "What tha shell do ya mean, "me"?"

"I mean how you were acting," Don said. At his brother's confused look, he elaborated. "Even though you were pretending to be mad at Leo and supposed to be "looking for something to eat", your eyes were on Leo the whole time, from the top of the stairs to his door. The last time I saw you look like that was when you were watching him during the ride to April's after he got shot."

Raph's body had been tensing with each word Don spoke, ready to deny every single word of it, but at those last words, all the fight left his body. He returned to his seat beside his brother, emotions he normally refused to show written clearly on his face. "Guess there ain't no gettin' anythin' past you, huh Don?"

Don put a comforting hand on Raph's shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, I almost didn't figure it out. If I hadn't seen Leo at the top of the stairs, then turned to see you in the kitchen, it wouldn't have fallen into place. And Mikey doesn't suspect a thing." Don watched as feelings chased themselves across his face. "What's wrong, Raph?"

"Whadda ya mean, what's wrong?" Raph snapped. Seeing the hurt look on Don's face, he sighed, shoulders sagging. "Sorry, Donnie. It's just…it ain't s'posed ta be like this. We shoulda been able ta wait 'til he was actually better ta come home, not wait just until he's well enough ta barely walk. But instead, we got some psycho whackbag chick an' her voodoo crap ta deal with too, an' so Leo's gotta have help just ta walk into the Lair. I know Splintah wanted him home, but it just ain't right."

"Why didn't you tell me how badly off he was?"

Raph bit back a groan. Of all the questions he knew his brother would ask, he really didn't want to answer this one. "Don…earlier, with Leo, back at April's place…ya were really messed up about it, bro. I ain't never seen you like that. An' I didn't want ta make it worse. 'Sides, it ain't like he's dyin' or nothin'."

"That's _it_?" The disbelief and hurt was obvious in Don's voice. "That's your reason? You "didn't want to make it worse"? Let's think about this for a minute, Raph. Let's say, hypothetically speaking, that you and Leo pulled this off, and I didn't know about it. Then, because no one knows Leo's hurt, and you think he's fine just because you two made it home, no one goes to check on him. And he ended up pulling his stitches from overexerting himself too soon, and either his condition just gets worse, or he bleeds to death. Then I find out that I could have helped him if my _other_ brother had told me the _truth_; but since he didn't want to _upset_ me, he didn't say anything. Do you think I could live with that, Raph? It would have been my fault!"

"That ain't gonna happen, Don, an' even if it did, it wouldn't be yer fault," Raph snapped heatedly.

"But that's how it would seem to me!" Don snapped back. The two glared at each other, then Don broke the eye contact, taking several deep breaths to calm himself. "Knowing that I could've helped him, but that you didn't tell me to spare my feelings…I'd feel like it was my fault for being weak. Like…I should have been stronger, shouldn't have broken down earlier. If I hadn't, you wouldn't have worried about me and would have told me."

"Yer allowed ta be upset, too, Don," Raph said. "And besides, that don't make sense."

"Fine! Then here's an example you might understand," Don retorted, his tone exasperated. "Casey goes out to beat up some Purple Dragons, and doesn't call you because he knows you're upset about Leo getting shot and he doesn't think you'll be able to handle the fight. Then he takes on too many Dragons and either gets hurt or killed. And then you find out why he didn't call you." Don noticed with grim satisfaction that Raph purposefully wouldn't meet his gaze. "Make sense now?"

"…Maybe," Raph admitted reluctantly. The two brothers were quiet for several moments, silent apologies passing between them, before another of Don's questions surfaced.

"Why'd you do it, Raph? Why'd you agree to do that for Leo?"

"I…shell. I just…he…ah, hell if I know." Raph rubbed the back of his head, his frustration evident. "It's just…I know when I get my shell waxed, I don't want nobody seein' me an' thinkin' I need help, especially Leo. An' then I was on the othah side of it; he was th' one who needed help. Th' only diff'rence is he was willin' t'admit it. I know how he feels, 'cause I hate sittin' around doin' nothin' too. It's enough ta make a turtle go stir crazy. So, I helped 'im. That's it."

Don shook his head wryly. "You guys are more alike than you know." When Raph started to protest, Don threw a roll of bandages in his face. "Stuff it, Raph. You guys can't see it, but I can. Trust me. Now, are you going to come with me to check on him, or do you want to go back to sulking?"

The hothead stood silently while Don loaded them both up with medical supplies. "Ya sure we should be checkin' on 'im? We did this 'cause he didn't want nobody seein' him."

"Yeah, well that's too bad," Don replied firmly. "Look, Raph, if Leo's in that bad of shape, we need to check on him. Besides, we won't tell Mikey or Master Splinter, so you don't have to worry. Come on."

Don led the way out of the subway car and into the main part of the Lair. Fortunately, Mikey's attention stayed fixed on the TV. As they climbed the stairs, Raph's heart started to pound a little faster. Dozens of possible scenarios, each worse than the last, began running through his mind. He shoved them away as best he could, telling himself he was being irrational. And yet no matter what he did, one question was stuck in his mind.

_Why is it so quiet in there?_

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Anger was still faintly pulsing through Don as they padded silently up to the door to Leo's room. _Why did they think they had to leave me out of that? Do they really think I couldn't handle it?_ He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice Raph looking at him. The next thing he noticed was his brother's hand on his arm. Don glanced up at him, his voice still slightly tinged with annoyance. "What?"

"It's not like ya think, Don. It's not that we didn't think ya could handle it, it's jus'…we didn't want you guys ta worry."

_When did Raph get so good at reading us?_ Despite his brother's attempts at an apology, Don couldn't prevent the derisive snort that escaped him. "Didn't want us to worry? Leo got shot, Raph. It's a little late to want to keep us from worrying."

Raph rolled his eyes. "Alright…didn't want ya ta worry any _more_. It's jus'…when yer an older brother, ya…ya wanna protect ev'rybody in yer family, especially yer younger brothers. Ya don't wanna make 'em worry, or see 'em hurt." He sighed, rubbing the back of his head in aggravation. "I dunno how ta explain this. It's jus'…I guess this is th' only thing Leo an' I have in common. I can't explain it any better'n that. I know you an' Mikey worry too, it jus' seems diff'rent as a big brother."

"If you hadn't noticed, Raph, I _am_ a big brother," Don pointed out.

"I know dat! But…ah shit, nevah mind. Screw this." Raph pushed past Don, taking the lead to Leo's room.

Seeing his brother's frustration, Don relented. He knew how difficult it was for Raph to apologize to anyone, let alone explain himself. _Even though they _still _should have told me, I guess I can see where he's coming from._ He caught up with Raph and thumped his brother in the arm good-naturedly. "It's okay, Raph. I…think I understand. Just…next time, let me know, alright?"

Raph returned the punch. "You got it, Don. 'Less a'course it's me, then you ain't gonna hear a thing."

"I wouldn't expect anything else, Raph." As they reached Leo's door, Don shushed Raph, putting his ear to the wood. When he didn't hear anything, he knocked quietly. "Leo? You okay, bro?" The room remained silent. Don glanced at his hotheaded brother, whose worry was obvious in his eyes, even though he tried to keep his fears in check. Turning the knob carefully, the brainy turtle reassured his older brother. "Don't worry, Raph; if he's as tired as you said, he's probably just sleeping." Don pushed the door open hesitantly; despite his words to Raph, he was also concerned about what they might find. And yet what they did find was the last thing he'd expected.

Leo was sitting off to the left, in the corner of his room that he'd rigged up as a mini dojo, sleeping on his meditation mats.

Both Don and Raph heaved a small sigh of relief, then grinned at each other for their reactions. Don beckoned Raph forward, and they knelt next to Leo. They set their supplies down on the floor, and Don carefully looked over Leo. He unwrapped the dressings around Leo's plastron, his lips tightening at the sight of the blood on them. At his gesture, Raph handed him a fresh roll of bandages, already treated with antiseptic. Don wound the bandages around Leo, binding them tightly, but not so tightly as to cause Leo discomfort. The fact that Leo slept through the entire procedure, when he was usually the lightest sleeper of all of them, told the brothers just how tired he really was. After Don secured the bandages, he and Raph moved off a few feet from Leo. They leaned against the wall, watching as their brother slept on.

Don was the first to break the silence. "He's fine. He didn't pull any stitches, thankfully, but he had a little bleeding from all the movement. The only thing that's really wrong with him is it was all too much too soon."

Raph gave another sigh of relief. "Tha's good. I was wonderin', 'cause I ain't nevah seen 'im sleep like dis. He ain't even movin'."

No sooner had Raph finished his sentence than Leo's entire body gave a great jerk. A groan of pain escaped from his lips, and his breath began to come in pants. Before Raph or Don could reach their brother, his right hand grabbed for his side and he fell to the floor.

"LEO!" Both brothers were at Leo's side in an instant.

"Donnie, what's wrong wit' 'im!" Raph asked wildly. His hands were hovering over Leo's body, afraid to touch his brother for fear of hurting him further.

"I…I don't know! He was fine, he was just sitting there! Hold his arms, I have to see if something's wrong with the wound." Don quickly unwrapped the bandages, dreading what he would find, but when the last of the wrappings was pulled away, nothing was amiss. The bullet wound wasn't bleeding, and no stitches had been pulled. "What the shell? There's nothing wrong with his wound, so why…?"

"Donnie…"

Don turned to Raph, who was slightly pale and had an odd look on his face. "What? What is it?"

Raph carefully let go of one of Leo's arms, which had by now stopped moving, and pointed to Leo's side. "That wasn't there before."

Don followed Raph's finger with his eyes, and found himself looking at a large, ugly bruise on his brother's plastron. He wracked his brains, trying to recall if he had noticed any such bruise on his oldest brother earlier. "I don't remember seeing it, either."

"Well, then where tha shell did it come from?"

"How am I supposed to know!" Don asked. "I'm an engineer, not a psychic!"

Leo suddenly jerked and moaned again, his right hand going to his opposite bicep this time. Raph grabbed his hand away, and Don frantically searched his arm, trying to determine the source of the pain. The next thing they saw shocked them both.

As the two turtles watched, a cut formed out of nowhere on Leo's arm, grew, then immediately began to bleed furiously. The sight of blood finally snapped Don out of his trance, and he scrabbled for bandages, winding them tightly around his brother's arm and pressing down firmly.

"Don, what the shell is going on!" Raph demanded.

"I don't know, Raph!" Don replied wildly. "The cut just came out of nowhere! Things like that don't happen, they can't, it's just not possible!" In his anxiety, he applied more pressure to Leo's arm, and the wounded turtle cried out and opened his eyes.

Leo looked at Raph and Don, his eyes strangely unfocused and clouded, then suddenly he mumbled something. As soon as the word left his lips, he closed his eyes again, only to reopen them a second later. This time, however, the haze was gone from his eyes. He groaned, then looked around, focusing on his brothers. "What…? What's going on?"

"Leo!" Raph grabbed his brother and hugged him, then shoved him away. "What tha shell was that all about? Ya tryin' ta give us a heart attack or somethin'!"

"What the shell was _what_ all about? Did I miss something?" Leo's features were openly puzzled.

"Leo, what's the last thing you remember?" Don asked.

Leo's face took on a confused look. "I remember coming in here, and falling asleep…and then I had a dream. There was…it was so weird…there was a woman, I couldn't see her face…but then she was gone. And then there was this man, and he punched me in the side, and then cut my arm with a knife. But…it wasn't me. It was like I was there and saw and felt everything, but it wasn't me…it was such a weird dream."

"Not all of it was a dream," Don interjected. When Leo glanced up at him, confused, Don gestured to the bruise on Leo's side and the bandages on his arm. "The attacks from your "dream" showed results here."

Leo slowly touched the mysterious injuries. "What's going on…?"

Neither of his brothers had an answer for him. All three turtles were silent for several minutes before Don spoke up again.

"Leo. When you were sleeping, right before you woke up, you said something. Do you remember what it was that you said?"

The blue-banded turtle lowered his gaze to the floor, thinking hard. "I don't remember saying anything, but the woman said something, just one word that's been sort of floating around in my head…'_vendetta_'."

"…That's it," Don suddenly said as he stood, gathering up his supplies. "Raph, help Leo get downstairs. I'll get Mikey and Master Splinter. Meet us on the couch."

"What for?"

"Just do it. We need to figure this out; it's gone on too long." And with that, he was gone.

Raph and Leo stared out the door after their brother, then exchanged looks.

"Do you remember him talking like that before?" Leo asked, bewildered.

"Nuh uh," Raph replied. "But it's gettin' ta be kinda normal now. C'mon, bro, let's haul yer butt downstairs."

Leo snorted. "Are you kidding? After all the trouble we went through just to get me up here in the first place?" They both laughed. "It hardly seems right."

Raph snickered. "What, wouldja rather face tha wrath of Don?"

The injured turtle shuddered. "No, thank you. Knowing my luck, he'd wait 'til I got hurt next time and take it out on me then." He paused a moment, the thought that had been nagging him finally clicking. "Shell. He knows, doesn't he?"

His brother grimaced. "'Bout you an' our little "fight" ta getcha up here? Yeah, he knows. I didn't tell 'im or nothin', he just…"

"Figured it out," Leo finished for him. He sighed. "I suppose we should've known better than to think we could fool him. Alright, let's get going. By the time we get down there, Don will probably have gotten Mikey and Master Splinter."

Raph carefully pulled his brother to his feet and slung Leo's arm around his shoulder. They made their way out of the room and slowly descended the stairs. "Ya feelin' any better?"

Leo shrugged. "A little. It's weird; I've been sleeping, but I feel even more tired than I was."

"Yeah, well, ya weren't exactly out very long. An' from the sounds a' things, ya weren't real quiet even when ya were asleep."

"I know. I sure hope Don's got some answers, 'cause I don't have the slightest clue what's going on."

"That makes two of us, bro." They reached the main floor, and Raph led Leo over to the couch, where the rest of the family was already assembled.

Master Splinter spoke first. "Is something the matter, my sons? Is there something wrong?"

"Uh, I think we're gonna let Donnie take this one, Mastah Splintah," Raph said. "He's kinda th' one who called this little meetin'."

The turtle in question came out of his lab seconds later. "You're all here," he noted curtly. "Good. We've got some things that we need to talk about." He slammed a sheaf of papers down on the coffee table and started shuffling through them rapidly. One paper was grabbed wrong and it sliced along his finger, a small line of blood appearing. "Shell!" Don swore, shoving the papers away from him.

Everyone else in the room was shocked. Of all of the turtles, Don was the one who never swore, not even when he was at his maddest. He raised his hand to swat the papers the rest of the way off the table when a small, furred paw grabbed his wrist.

"Donatello," Splinter said softly, a mild reprimand in his tone. "What is the matter, my son? You seem distressed, and you are not acting like yourself."

Don's hand curled into a fist, then his whole body drooped. He sighed tiredly. "I'm sorry, Sensei. I'm just…frustrated."

Splinter relinquished Don's hand. "Then tell us what it is that troubles your spirit, my son." He sat back his chair, paws resting lightly on his knees as he waited.

Don took a deep breath and began. "Alright. We all know there's been a lot going on lately, and none of it makes any sense. I just keep getting so frustrated, because it has to all be connected somehow, but I just don't know _how_."

Mikey raised a hand tentatively, as though in class. "Um, why don't you start by filling Leo in with what we know about Iganna?"

"…Oh, right." Don gave Leo a quick run through of what they'd gathered over the past few days. "…It's nothing concrete; it's just a lot of little things that don't add up. This for example." Reaching into his pile, he extracted a few papers. "I took Iganna's last name and looked it up in several different towns and cities in Canada, which is supposedly where she's from. I ran every search I know of, every single one, and nothing came up for the name Triolini. However, when I ran the searches in a few places in Italy…bingo."

"So this tells us what?" Splinter asked.

"It tells us she lied ta us," Raph growled. "I knew there was somethin' screwy wit' dat broad."

"Exactly. Unfortunately, that's the only solid piece of evidence that we've got other than what Master Splinter sensed around Leo. Everything else is just little things; strange things she says, a weird glance, her acting oddly. But Master Splinter…you always tell us to trust our instincts, and mine tell me something's wrong with her."

"I agree with you, Donatello. However, we still do not know what it is that she is doing to Leonardo."

"That's true," Don admitted. "But I think we've got another hint. Leo, tell Mikey and Master Splinter about your dream."

Leo quickly related his dream to his sensei and brother, unwrapping his arm and showing them the cut and the bruise. Splinter's ears and tail twitched with ill-concealed unease as he got up and inspected his son's newest injuries. He returned to his seat silently. The turtles were quiet for several minutes, recognizing that their sensei was deep in thought. After the span of a few moments, Splinter looked up to meet the questioning gazes of his family.

"We must take action," Splinter stated. "This woman is obviously not what she seems, and I fear that she is a threat to our family. There is something going on here that we do cannot explain. Donatello, what have you been able to discover about her?"

"Well, with a little digging into family histories, and some…navigating on the internet, I was able to find a rather interesting article," Don said, diving back into his pile, paper cut forgotten.

"'Navigating'?" Splinter questioned dryly as he raised an eyebrow. "Donatello, one would assume that your…investigative venture was, indeed, legal?"

"Um, yeah, Sensei," Don stammered, a guilty look on his face. "I mean, information is put up on the internet for public use, and once you have, um, access codes to it, then technically acquiring that data is legal…" he finished lamely. At Splinter's disapproving look, Don sighed. "I mastered computers a time ago, Master Splinter," he said, trying to explain himself. "I get bored and I need a challenge. Besides, if it's worth hiding, it's worth knowing."

Splinter sighed, a look of defeat and chagrin on his face. "I understand. Were anyone to ask, I know nothing of how you came by this information…and I do not wish to know."

Raph, Leo and Mikey all snickered. They had known for years that Don oftentimes hacked various networks. The first time he'd been caught, he'd said he'd "stumbled" onto the site by chance. The excuse only worked so many times, and his brothers eventually got the truth out of him. Raph and Mikey were impressed, and although Leo didn't approve as much as they, he eventually came around.

Splinter, however, obviously did not accept the news of Don's "dabbling" as easily as his brothers did.

"So what've ya got, Don?" Raph asked, making a quick diversion for his brother.

Don shot him a grateful look. He handed some of the papers out to his family. "This is a news report from a city in Italy called Forli. It's about Iganna's family."

Raph scanned the sheet, trying to find some pertinent information. He abandoned his search quickly. "Alright, Don, dis is in geek talk. Ya mind translatin' fer us?"

"No problem," Don replied. "It's all about a big incident that happened a few years ago. Iganna's mother was apparently some kind of doctor. Her father had left the family when Iganna was still young. Well, Iganna's mother's practice was going well until suddenly her patients stopped coming. Then, her health began to decline, and she died. Soon after that, there was a massive rash of unusual deaths in their city, and Iganna left the country and arrived in Maine, looking for her father. However, a few months later, there was another series of deaths, and she left Maine and has been living here ever since."

"Okay…" Mikey said slowly, his eyes wide. "That's kinda creepy."

The brainy turtle nodded. "There's more, Mikey. The deaths in Forli were all people that Iganna knew, and many of them were once patients of her mother. But in Maine, they were strangers who, as far as I can tell, had no connection to her."

"So do ya think she killed 'em?" Raph questioned his brother quietly.

"I don't know," Don admitted. "But there are a few more things that don't add up. In Maine, all of the victims were armed. But somehow they all died from wounds that appeared to be from their own weapons, and the only fingerprints on the weapons were those of the owners."

"So why didn't they list the deaths as suicides?" Leo asked.

"Because they couldn't _be_ suicides," Don said. He pulled yet another set of papers out, showing them to his brothers and sensei. "Almost all of the victims died from wounds that would be impossible for someone to inflict on themselves. For example, one was stabbed in the back. Another had broken ribs, and another was strangled."

"But couldn't those be suicides?" Raph inquired. "I mean, if someone was tryin' hard enough…?"

Don shook his head. "These deaths are impossible to be suicidal. No one can reach behind their back and stab themselves with enough strength for it to be fatal, and people can't break their own bones very easily. As for strangling…it's impossible for someone to strangle themselves. Even if someone had the strength for it, as soon as they went long enough without oxygen, they'd pass out and their grip would automatically loosen, thus keeping them from dying."

Leo spoke up. "So the question facing us is how were these people killed if no one touched them?"

"No one knows. That's partly why I had to…search for this info," Don said, changing his word choice after a glance at Splinter. "The police had no idea how to explain these deaths, so they buried the records."

"So what all do we now know about Ms. Triolini, Donatello?" Splinter asked, having sat quietly throughout Don's whole explanation.

Don counted off the facts. "We know Iganna lied about her origins and is really from Forli, Italy. We know her mother died mysteriously, followed by several people close to Iganna's family. We know she left not only the city, but the country, and was possibly tied to the deaths here as well. And we know she's somehow connected to Leo, too."

Raph snorted and threw his copies of the papers back onto the table. "So basically we know a whole lotta nothin'. None of dis helps us at all. We don't even know if she's tha one dat killed 'em."

"…That's not exactly true, Raph."

All heads turned to Don.

"Whadda ya mean, Don?" Mikey asked.

"I…don't know anything for sure," Don began, speaking slowly. "But when Raph and I were upstairs with Leo, before he woke up, he said the woman in his dream said something. Just one word, '_vendetta_'. In English, it means "grudge"."

Leo was the first one to catch the emphasis Don placed on "English". "It means something out of English, too, doesn't it?" he inquired. "Like…something in Italian?" Don stared at his hands for several moments, before looking up to meet the gaze of his brother and nodding. Leo prodded his brother. "So in Italian it means…"

Don filled in the gap with a quiet word.

"'Revenge'."

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**A/N: Oooo! So suspenseful! But never fear, good readers, some answers will be coming soon! I don't want to give you guys ulcers from all the suspenseful tension. :D On another note…**

**Ack! I am soooo very sorry that this is so late. School has been biting my butt again, and I've had another deadline to meet alongside that of this story. And unfortunately, school has to come first. I feel so bad that this is so unbelievably late, but I needed the time. And at least it was long! This chapter was a mean one to write, especially for hashing out all these disturbing revelations. But hopefully it paid off. I'm going to try my hardest to get the next chapter out soon, but I can't make any guarantees. Fortunately, I know what I want to happen in the next chapter, so I won't have to take the time to plan it. Please bear with me, and thank you all for being so patient and for sticking with my story. I really appreciate it. Look for the next chapter hopefully sometime next week. Thanks again, and adios for now!**


	10. Doctor's Orders

_**Disclaimer**: Sigh. Again? Alrighty, you know the drill. I don't own the TMNT, Eastman and Laird do. I could make a shirt that says that and save myself the time of writing this each chapter…but you wouldn't be able to see the shirt through the computer, so I'd be right back where I started. It's a vicious cycle…_

_And, as always, excessive thanks to **Tewi, Digmon Girl, Pi90katana, BubblyShell22, Longing for Leo and** **bionicle-girl **for reviewing the last chapter. You guys rock my socks! And my shoes, too, even:D_

_And now I give you the outrageously long Chapter 10. Mazeltov!_

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Leo broke the tense silence first, pushing himself to his feet. "I…I'm going to go get some air. I'll…be outside."

Raph stood as well. "Like shell ya are. Ya ain't ready ta go topside."

The blue-clad turtle whipped around to face him, a trapped look in his eyes. "I just need to get some air, Raph."

"I'm telling ya, Leo, ya ain't ready."

"Fine! Then I'll just go in the sewers," Leo said, his tone hard and brisk. "I'll keep to the tunnels near the Lair. I'll be back in a bit, I promise." He stumbled to the door of the Lair as fast as he could, struggling in some places.

Raph growled and took a step to follow him. "Leo-"

"Stop it, Raph." Mikey stepped in front of him, placing himself between Raph and Leo.

Raph stared in disbelief at the brother who was blocking his way. "Say what?"

"I said stop it. Leo needs a little time."

At these words, Leo shot a grateful smile at his youngest brother and hobbled out of the door to the Lair.

"Dammit, Mikey, he don't need ta be out there!" Raph snarled.

"Yeah, he does," Mikey said. "Raph, you weren't there when he woke up from that nightmare; you didn't see him. Bro, he was so freaked he _asked_ me to _lie_ to him."

"So he'll get over it," Raph retorted. "He needs ta rest, not go traipsin' around out there. I don't wanna haul his butt in again." He pushed Mikey to the side. However, as soon as he got past that brother, the next one took his place.

"Raph, just give him a little time." Don spoke firmly, ready to detain Raph by force if necessary.

"What tha shell is it wit' you two? He can have "time" in here. He don't need ta go out there. I ain't gonna let him get hurt again!" Raph's outburst surprised even him, and he quieted suddenly, angry at the feelings he'd revealed.

Splinter, forgotten until now, sighed and pulled Raph down on the couch. "Raphael, this situation is affecting Leonardo more than you know."

"Sensei, he jus' wants ta prove he's ready ta go back topside."

"Raph…" Don's sigh followed Splinter, though his was decidedly more frustrated. "For all that you complain about Leo, it escapes me why you build him up so much."

"What tha shell are you talkin' about?"

"Raph, he's scared," Don stated bluntly. "This dream, this whole mess with Iganna is scaring him."

Raph snorted. "Leo don't get scared."

"Just because you give him the nickname doesn't mean he's actually "fearless"!" Don snapped.

"It's not just that." Mikey spoke up suddenly. "It's not her he's scared of."

"Then what, Mikey?" Raph asked sarcastically. "Tha boogey-turtle?"

His response was a pillow in the face.

"He's scared for us," Mikey stated, his voice becoming more sure. "When he woke up after that dream, he was scared of what he saw, because he was afraid of it coming after us. He's afraid of us getting hurt."

The revelation rendered all of the turtles silent.

"But it's more than that," Splinter added. "Leonardo fears not just what he saw."

His pause caught the turtles' attention. "Yeah?" Mikey prompted. "Then what else is it?"

"We do not know exactly what kind of connection this woman holds with your brother, nor do we know what she has done or is doing. And in that your brother finds his fear," Splinter explained. "Leonardo fears not being able to protect us."

The silence following this statement was heavy with thought.

"…You're right," Don said quietly. "It's not just the possibility of one or all of us getting hurt that's bothering Leo. It's that he knows he won't be able to protect us because he doesn't know what to try and protect us from."

"Exactly, my son," Splinter acknowledged.

Raph shoved himself to his feet, pacing in front of the couch. "Why does he think he's always gotta protect us?" he demanded angrily. "We don't need 'im holdin' our hands all tha time. We can look afta ourselves. It ain't like we need a babysittah or nothin'."

"Leonardo's fears and behaviors do not stem from a lack of faith in any of your abilities, my son," Splinter soothed. "He has faith in all of you. But the burden of a leader is a hard one to bear, and the worry rests heavily on your brother's mind. The responsibility of looking out for this family is one he has borne for years, and such worries cannot be abandoned easily. Leonardo has spent years putting his family before himself, and as such, he is always concerned first for our safety, then his own."

Raph's muttered comment about overbearing turtles was quickly cut off by the door to the Lair opening. "What, ya decided ta listen to me fer once?" he asked, expecting it to be Leo and not bothering to look as a dark figure walked into the Lair.

"Now why would I do that?"

"Huh?" Raph whipped around to see April instead of his brother. "Oh, hey, April. I though ya were Leo."

"I get that all the time," she teased, her eyes sparkling. "Where is Leo, anyway?"

Don answered over Raph's growl. "He went out to get a little air. We had…a talk about a few things, and he needed a little break."

"'A talk'?" April asked, her eyebrows arched. "A talk about what?"

Don glanced at Splinter, a question in his eyes. When the old rat nodded his acquiescence, Don placed a hand on April's arm and guided her to the couch. "It's a long story. Let me explain…"

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A quarter of an hour and several questions later, April had been filled in on the situation with Iganna.

"Wow," she commented softly. "That's…"

"Creepy?" Mikey supplied. "Yeah, I thought so too."

"It's creepier than you know, Mikey," April said, pulling a small purse out of the bag she'd been carrying. "I came over to show this to you guys."

The three turtles and Splinter stared at the handbag, then back at April. As she noticed the blank looks on their faces, the expectant one on her face faded. "Don't you guys know what this is?"

Raph, Don and Mikey all exchanged glances, each seeing in the others' eyes that they were all equally lost.

Don spoke up first. "Um, don't get us wrong, it's a really nice purse, April," he offered weakly. "But…"

"But it's just not our color," Mikey joked.

"What?" April was visibly confused. "Wait, no!" April protested. "It's not like I brought it over here to give it to you guys."

"Then why did you bring it?" Mikey asked.

"Because it's Iganna's."

These words instantly transformed April's audience into four very attentive listeners.

"But April," Don asked, "how'd you get it?"

April gave him a guilty grin. "Well, that's also kind of a long story. See…I had thought Iganna was acting a little weird. I mean, she took the whole…um…"

"Tha whole 'meetin' talkin', mutated turtles' thing?" Raph supplied.

"Yeah. She was taking it really well; I mean, I remember how I reacted, and she wasn't fazed a bit. That and she was asking really weird questions about you guys when I drove her home."

"What exactly did she ask, Ms. O'Neil?" Splinter inquired, a sharp tone in his voice.

"Don't worry, Master Splinter, nothing about the location of the Lair or anything," April assured him. "Not even anything about how you guys came to be…you guys. The only thing she wanted to know about was Leo."

"Ooo, Leo's got a girlfriend!" Mikey caroled in a singsong voice.

"Mikey…" April sighed. "Nothing like that. They were weird questions: was he normally healthy, was your lifestyle dangerous, did he get hurt a lot, things like that. It didn't seem normal, and for some reason the questions freaked me out, so I just kind of rambled talking about you guys practicing Ninjitsu. Fortunately, it was a pretty short ride, so I dropped her off soon after that. Then I just got this weird urge to go check out the alley where…Leo got shot." April faltered here, and Splinter patted her comfortingly on the hand. She squeezed his paw in return and continued. "I didn't have anything better to do, and I remember Master Splinter commenting on following your instincts, so I went over there and prowled around a bit. And that's when I found Iganna's purse; it had gotten kicked under the dumpster."

Raph laughed. "Detective O'Neil. It's got a nice ring, April; maybe you should change yer job."

April rolled her eyes at the turtle. "Thanks for the support, Raph. Anyways, I thought I'd take a little peek inside, just to see if I could find out anything about her, and I found this." April drew a small book out of the purse and showed it to the guys.

Don reached out and took the book from April, opening the first few pages to show several different pictures. He shrugged and handed it back to her. "It looks like a normal photo album to me," he said.

"That's what I thought too, until I turned the pictures over." Saying this, she removed a picture from its slot and showed the back. On the reverse was a piece of paper.

"It's a…newspaper article," Mikey asserted, glancing down at the picture and back up at April. "So?"

"It's not an article, Mikey," Don countered, taking the picture to inspect it more closely. "It's an obituary."

"You got it, Don," April affirmed. She flipped through the book quickly, showing them all the pictures, each with a small clipping attached to the back. "All of these pictures have them too."

Raph asked the question on everyone's mind. "So why's this dame collectin' pictures of dead people?"

"Wait a minute." All eyes turned to Don. "April, let me see that book real quick." April wordlessly passed it over, and Don disappeared with it into his lab. He returned a minute later with a sheaf of papers and an odd look on his face.

"What is bothering you, my son?" Splinter asked.

"These pictures…" Don began slowly, removing each one and spreading them facedown on the table, "all of these pictures and obituaries are of the people who died in Forli and in the city in Maine that Iganna was in before she came here."

Raph hissed, realization dawning on his face. "They're _trophies_. This whackbag is carryin' around pictures of all the people she's killed!"

"We don't know for sure that she killed them, Raph," Don pointed out. "It could just be-"

"Why're ya makin' excuses fer her!" Raph exploded, knocking pictures and papers everywhere in his anger. "There ain't any othah explanation fer what's goin' on! An' now fer some reason, she's aftah Leo!"

Don tried again. "Raph, we don't have any solid evidence. And besides, we've all seen her; she hardly has the manner, appearance, or even physical build of a killer."

"Yeah? An' Saki don't look like a freaky little alien thing eithah, but he is." Raph challenged Don, but his brother had no response for that. The rest of the room's occupants were quiet as well, and Raph, not getting the answers he wanted, quickly lost patience. "Screw this; I'm gonna go look fer Leo."

"Raph," Mikey protested, "he wanted some time alone."

"Yeah, well, he's had time alone, an' I wanna talk to 'im."

"Raph…"

"Look, he's gotta know what's goin' on. I know he's freaked, but if he knows what tha shell is happenin', then he can figure out what ta do 'bout it. That's what's really ridin' his shell; he don't know what's goin' on, so he can't be tha "Fearless Leadah"."

"Raph has a point," April pointed out. "That does sound like how Leo thinks."

Don relented slightly. "I'll give you that one, April, but still…we can't really tell Leo what's going on when _we_ don't know."

"Maybe not," Raph admitted, "but he don't know 'bout tha pictures April found, an' someone's gotta tell 'im." With that, Raph strode out of the Lair, one of Don's trackers in hand to find his brother.

Mikey watched with Don as Raph left, then as Splinter returned to his room to meditate on the new information. April bid the remaining turtles good night and set off for her apartment. Mikey then turned to his brainy brother. "This isn't gonna end well, is it?" he asked. "The whole "Raph-going-after-Leo" thing?"

Don sighed as he gathered up his papers, casting a weary eye at the door to the Lair. "Does it ever?"

Mikey actually seemed to take the question seriously. "Well, there was that one time with the…oh wait, no. Well, how about when…huh; nope, not that one either. Um…oh, I know! What about that time with Leo and Raph and the punching bag?"

The purple-clad turtle looked at his brother in disbelief. "Mikey, that incident resulted in two grounded turtles, three second-degree burns, and a broken leg."

"…Oh, right. I kinda repressed that part."

"Not surprising. It was your leg."

Mikey trailed after Don as he reentered the lab and filed his papers. "So now what do we do?"

"The same thing we always do, Mikey."

The younger turtle grinned, unable to resist the joke. "'Try to take over the world'?" he quipped.

Another sigh escaped the engineer. "Not exactly." His papers back in place, he and Mikey walked out. "We wait for Raph and Leo to get back and try to prevent any and all fratricide." As Don turned off for the kitchen, Mikey came to a stop, a confused look on his face.

"Fratricide? But we don't live in a frat house…"

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"Stupid Leo," Raph grumbled as he trudged through the sewers, doing his best to locate his brother. "'I'll keep to tha tunnels near tha Lair', he says. "Near" my foot. I been walkin' fer ten minutes an' I still ain't found 'im. This stupid tracker a Don's ain't good fer sh-"

"Language, Raph," a mild voice said quietly.

Raph whipped around. His older brother was standing behind him, leaning casually against the wall of the sewer tunnel. The hothead studied him carefully for a moment, then relaxed, satisfied; no new bloodstains showed on his bandages, and no new injuries decorated his body. The haunted look was gone from his face as well, replaced by Leo's normal look of calm and control. Raph mimicked his brother's stance, taking up a position on the opposite wall.

"So where ya been?" Raph asked. "I've been followin' yer shell all ovah tha sewers, an' no dice." He gestured to the tracker. "Stupid thing keeps sayin' I'm right on top 'a ya, but ya ain't there."

Leo walked over to Raph and took the tracker, then pressed a few buttons and chuckled. "That's probably because you've been tracking yourself, Raph. You had it set to your signal."

"What?" Raph snatched the device back, glaring at the screen. He then swore under his breath and stowed the tracker in his belt. "Piece 'a shell."

"So what was so urgent that you had to follow me out here?" Leo inquired.

Raph smirked. "I missed ya an' yer charmin' personality."

"I'm touched."

"In tha head? Yeah, I know," Raph joked. He snickered, then grew serious. "Actually, ya missed somethin' when ya left; April came ovah, an' yer not gonna believe what she told us. Let's head back an' I'll fill ya in…"

By the time the two turtles made it back to the Lair, Raph had brought Leo up to date on the situation with Iganna. "…An' so that's why I came ta find ya. Jus' thought ya might wanna know." He punched in the code for the door and waited for Leo to precede him.

"Thanks…I think," Leo managed. He sighed, sitting down on the couch heavily. "It's always just one more thing, isn't it?"

"You got it, bro. Jus' anothah day in tha life of a teenage mutant ninja turtle."

"My sons." Both turtles looked up to see Master Splinter emerging from his room. "I am glad that you are back. Leonardo, is everything well?"

"As well as can be expected, Sensei," Leo replied, bowing carefully.

"Good. Michelangelo and Donatello turned in for the night not too long ago, once I assured them that I would wait for you to return, and I believe that we should all retire now. It is late, and you need your rest, especially you, Leonardo." The rat nodded to his sons and made for his room. "Good night, my sons; I shall see you in the morning."

"Good night, Master Splinter," the two turtles chorused. The brothers headed up the stairs, separating to go to their rooms. Raph turned to Leo before his brother closed the door.

"Hey, Leo."

"Yeah, Raph?"

"I'll be right in here if ya need me."

Leo smiled at his brother. They both realized how much that phrase echoed Raph's words from the last time Leo was injured.

"I know, Raph. Thanks."

"Anytime, bro. Anytime."

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(Alrighty, time for another timeline update. Just so this is clear, because I'm worried I might be confusing some people, here's what's going on: Splinter and the guys left April's house after dinner, so we'll say they ate around 6:00-7:00, and then got back to the Lair. Then came the whole episode with Raph and Leo, Leo's dream, and then the big family discovery talk. Then April showed up, so just imagine with me that it's about 9:00-10:00 when she comes over. Then Leo goes for his little stroll, Raph goes after him, they come back, and then everybody hits the hay. Yes, they had a very busy day, and a very late night. Also, another note for the story to come, again, I am pretty much guessing at all medical stuff. I checked on times for healing on a medical website, and they're pretty close, but I'm still pretty much winging it, alright? Alright. Now that that's all cleared up, back to the story!)

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The next week passed without anymore major incidents. Leo recovered at pretty much his normal speed, though over the first few days he got tired rather easily. His stitches came out, and the gunshot wound began to heal. However, this in itself presented more problems. While the rest of the family was happy at the speed of his recovery, Leo was chafing at the inactivity. And Don, as the turtle who was making him take it easy, was suffering from Leo's impatience the most.

Leo had been wearing on Don's patience with his frequent attempts against Don's orders; not two days after the had brought him home, Leo was out of bed before all of them, down in the dojo at 7 in the morning practicing katas. Both Don and Splinter had nearly had an aneurism, and Leo was confined to his room for the rest of the day. But this exile had only made the injured turtle sneakier. He was often found by his brothers or sensei quietly practicing in his room. The third day home, Splinter had had to confiscate Leo's katana in order to keep him quiet.

This had worked for two days. However, on the morning of first week after he got shot, Leo was discovered attempting to pick the lock on the weapons cabinet when Splinter had awoken for a cup of tea. He was once again banned to his room.

Where, two hours later, he was found to be doing push-ups.

At that point, both Leo and Don had to be sent to their rooms with a guard; Raph went with Leo to keep him from practicing, and Mikey went with Don to keep the brainy turtle's normally dormant homicidal tendencies at bay.

"But Don, if you kill Leo, doesn't that kind of defeat the point of keeping him quiet? You know, so he'll heal?"

"Yes, but he won't listen! He'll never get better if he doesn't rest and give himself time to recover and heal. Besides, he won't be trying to exercise if he's dead!"

"Bro, he won't be doing much of anything if he's dead."

Don was released half an hour later, after Mikey had finally convinced him not to kill their oldest brother, nor imprison him in a full body cast. However, when the two turtles went to check on their older brothers, they discovered that Raph had made significantly less progress. Upon entering Leo's room, they found their very irate leader bound to his bed with the sheets and a very smug-looking Raph sitting on the immobile turtle's legs, sharpening his sai. When asked for an explanation, Raph said that Leo wouldn't listen to him and rest.

"So you tied him to the bed?" Mikey asked in disbelief.

Raph shrugged, no trace of remorse on his face. "I warned 'im not ta go fer tha hand weights, but he wouldn't listen."

At that point, all the turtles (except Leo, of course) realized that some serious action was needed. Don was nearly at the end of his rope, and neither Mikey nor Rah knew how to deal with the normally passive turtle when he was upset. Raph disappeared into Splinter's room, ordering Mikey to keep Don away from Leo and to keep Leo inside. The second task was easier than the first, seeing as how Leo was still secured firmly to his bed; they could tell this from the muffled cursing and thumps coming from upstairs. Raph emerged ten minutes later, saying that Splinter was going to talk to Leo. However, not a few minutes after that, Splinter exited Leo's room, shaking his head. He handed Raph a packet and went in search of tea and Advil, a headache developing from trying to make his eldest son see reason. Raph then handed the packet to Don, who stared at it uncomprehendingly.

"What is it?"

"'s a sedative," Raph replied. "I got Sensei to agree to a deal; he'd try ta get Leo to agree ta yer medical orders, but if he couldn't, you could drug 'im."

Don looked at the packet like it was the Holy Grail. "Raphael, you are officially my favorite turtle in the world." He immediately went off to prepare something for Leo, intent on getting the turtle to rest. At lunch, he sent Mikey into Leo's room to deliver the food. Mikey emerged a while later, reporting that Leo had eaten everything and was now resting. The injured turtle remained sleeping for the rest of the day.

"By the way, Don, how'd ya get Leo to sleep this late?" Mikey asked at dinner, curious as to why his brother was still so quiet.

"I drugged him," was the candid reply.

"Say what!"

"Master Splinter agreed to it; Leo has to rest or he could make himself worse."

"It's okay, Mikey," Raph said, reassuring his youngest brother before he turned to Don. "By tha way, Donnie, how much did ya use?"

"Half of it."

"Half! Don, Splinter said a pinch of tha stuff was enough ta put 'im out like a light fer a couple hours!"

Don calmly carried his dishes to the sink before facing his brothers (Splinter ate in his room, discovering long ago that the eating habits of his sons had the ability to put him off of food for days). "I'm aware of that. But we all know that Leo won't fall for the same trick twice, and after this he'll be wary of anything we give him, and the last thing I need is him refusing to eat or drink as well. I had to get as much out of this at one shot as I can. The amount I gave him should have him sleep until sometime late tomorrow afternoon, but it won't hurt him. Besides, I'm hoping this will act as an ultimatum and show him I'm serious about him taking it easy." The turtle left the kitchen serenely.

The remaining turtles watched him leave, wondering at his change in character. Mikey broke the silence first. "Raph?"

"Yeah, Mikey?"

"Where's the rest of what was in that packet?"

"Dunno. Why?"

The youngest turtle regarded his plate with a look of fear. "Donnie cooked dinner tonight."

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Don's tactics had worked, and Leo was docile for the next four days, spending his time furthering his meditation with Master Splinter rather than trying to practice before he was ready. And Don, as a token of peace and compromise, had started him on exercises to build his strength back up. Many of the exercises Leo was already doing, so Don made another concession and told Master Splinter that Leo could pick back up with some mild weapons training with the practice weapons. Leo's wound had mostly closed by now, and Don figured that at the two week mark, everything would be healed and there would be sufficient scar tissue for Leo to get back to his normal lifestyle.

Or at least, as normal as life could be for a katana-wielding mutant turtle.

Don was now sitting in his lab, hiding from his oldest brother. With freedom so close at hand, Leo was almost worse than he'd been at the beginning. Don had enjoyed five hours of peace and quiet thanks to his Ninjitsu skills; by using the shadows and his stealth, he had managed to evade Leo for the better part of the day. He was resting now, before attempting to make a run for the surface. Don was usually the least likely of his brothers to go topside for fun, but he needed a break. However, just as he was about to take his chance, Leo walked into the lab.

"Hey Don."

Don sighed. _So much for a break_. "Hey Leo. What's up?"

"I finished the exercises you prescribed, and I was wondering if there was anything else you could suggest."

Don crossed his fingers, knowing his next words weren't likely to succeed, but determined to try anyway. "How about a nap?"

"But Don," Leo said, "I'm fine! I don't see why I need to take a nap. I'm a grown turtle!"

"I never said you _had_ to take a nap, Leo," Don responded, his tone strained; Leo's constant insistence that he was healed was taking its toll. _If it wasn't for Master Splinter's support of my medical orders, I wouldn't have had_ _a snowball's chance in shell of keeping Leo quiet_. "But can't you at least take an hour a day for bed rest?"

"That's the same thing!"

Don sighed, rubbing furiously at his temples in an attempt to alleviate the nearly constant headache his brother seemed to inspire lately. "Fine, then don't sleep. Read a book, or meditate or something. Just go upstairs and _rest_ in _bed_. Okay? Then it's still bed rest."

"Fine." Leo stormed off to his room, nearly plowing Mikey over in the process.

Don sighed and resumed work on one of his experiments; he had a sinking feeling that if he tried to go topside now, it would only make Leo worse. After a few successful trials on his work, Don checked the clock, realizing that he hadn't heard anything from Leo. He made his way to his brother's room to check on him…

And found Leo doing crunches on his bed.

A strangled scream nearly forced its way from the brainy turtle's throat. "That's not resting!"

Leo cocked a calm eye ridge at his brother's hysterics. "Of course it is. I've been resting between every set of twenty."

Don's migraine was back in full force. "Leo, I swear, if you don't take it easy I'm going to drug you again. I'll do it! Or I'll…I'll send _him_ in here."

The blue-clad turtle froze mid-crunch, slowly sitting up to face his brother. "You wouldn't."

Don met him glare for glare. "Try me."

Leo held his brother's gaze for several minutes, a faint glimmer of fear in his eyes, before he broke the contact with a snort. "Don, we both know you don't have it in you." When Don turned and left the room without another word, Leo smiled and returned to his exercises, certain that he had been right. However, he was interrupted again just a minute later by Mikey bursting into the room, his arms full of comic books.

"Hey bro!" the turtle exclaimed, plopping down on Leo's bed. "I figured you might be gettin' kinda bored, so I brought the whole first season of my "Justice Force" comic books! Twenty-three episodes of action-packed, crime-fighting goodness!"

Leo's eyes grew wide in panic at the sight of the mound, as well as at the thought of that much time with an energetic Mikey. Ordinarily, Leo would be able to refuse; but ever since he had been shot, Mikey was sticking to him like glue, and Leo didn't quite have the heart to send him away. "Um, really, Michelangelo, it's alright. I'm sure you've got things you'd rather be doing…"

"No sweat, Leo! There's nothing like a little brotherly bonding!"

Mikey continued to ramble as he shoved the glossy magazines into his brother's arms. Leo was wracking his brain, trying to think of a way to get out of his current situation, when he noticed a movement at the door. Don was leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed in front of him, with a satisfied smirk on his face. Leo's eyes narrowed as comprehension dawned: his brother was the cause of this torture. He had no opportunity for retribution, however, because Don gave him a little wave and shut the door, and Mikey began his attack.

"See, it starts with the Silver Sentry meeting up with Lady Lightning…"

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A grueling three hours later, Leo had been put through all twenty-three episodes, and had just managed to escape his youngest brother. His first action as a free turtle was to seek out Don. He found the brainy turtle in the warehouse, hard at work on some modifications for the Battleshell.

"That was low, Don," Leo said without preamble.

Don glanced up from the beneath the hood of the vehicle, then back down again with a chuckle. "All's fair in love and war, Leo. And you can't say I didn't warn you. And don't even try any of that "you betrayed me" nonsense; I'm doing this for your own good."

Leo merely glared at the back of his brother's head. "You know how the saying goes, Don: evil deeds never go unpunished."

Don's only response was a derisive snort. He finished his adjustments and closed the hood, then turned to face Leo, folding his arms casually across his plastron. "And just what are you implying, Leo?"

"All I'm saying is there's a lot of very fragile equipment in your lab, isn't there, Don?" Leo remarked mildly. "And it would be a shame to think what would happen if Mikey were told that you agreed to give him unlimited access to it."

Don blinked, images of the chaos and destruction their youngest brother could cause flashing through his mind before his calm mask was back in place. "Except that I would never tell him that."

Leo studied his hands with feigned disinterest. "No, _you_ wouldn't…" he agreed.

The brainy turtle narrowed his eyes at the veiled threat. "You wouldn't dare…"

The blue-clad leader raised his gaze to meet the eyes of his younger brother. "Try me," he said, echoing Don's words from before.

The two turtles glared at each other for several minutes before Don broke the silence.

"What do you want?" Don refused to bend or admit defeat; he was positive that there had to be a way out of this. However, it never hurt to get all the facts.

Leo smiled, seeing that the threat on his brother's delicate research had hit home. "Want? Who says I want anything? I might just be here for payback; three hours of Mikey and his comics would be enough to cause even Buddha to seek revenge."

"Come on, Leo," Don scoffed. "We both know you're here for something. If you only wanted revenge, you would have just gone to Mikey already; you wouldn't have come and told me what you're planning. You're keeping that threat for leverage; what is it you want?"

"Very well." Leo's casual, innocent demeanor dropped like a lead weight, his face displaying the mask of determination he normally only wore in battle. "I want you to tell Master Splinter I'm better. I want you to let him know that I'm ready to go back on patrols and back to training."

"You've _been_ training, Leo."

Leo sighed, his frustration evident. "I mean _real_ training, not this "rehab regimen" you have me on. Don, I miss Ninjitsu; I miss patrolling, I miss leading you guys on training runs, shell, I even miss sparring with Raph."

The wild look left Leo's eyes, replaced by an almost lost one, and Don saw clearly how serious Leo was. They all knew how much Ninjitsu meant to Leo, but never had Don thought being out of commission had affected their leader so badly. And yet, no matter how much he missed it, there was no getting around the irrefutable fact that Leo just wasn't ready to be back to normal. Don would have gladly told his brother to pick back up with his regular training, if only for the peace it would result in; but the doctor and concerned brother part of him couldn't in good conscience pronounce Leo ready. However, Leo's threat on his lab was still very real.

"So because of that, you're trying to blackmail me into talking to Master Splinter?" Don asked in disbelief. "Leo, somehow I doubt that blackmail is in the code of Bushido." Certain that Leo was just messing with him, Don called his brother's bluff. "You wouldn't tell Mikey that, and even if you did, he knows better than to think I'd change my mind about him being in my lab."

Leo shrugged. "People, and turtles, have been known to change their minds. There's no telling what I'd do, Don; desperate times call for desperate measures. And besides, it's not blackmail; no one's forcing you to do anything."

"Leo, bullet wounds like yours need _at least two weeks_ to heal," Don tried again. He was starting to get worried; Leo didn't look like he was joking. "You've had a week and four days!"

"And I'm fine now, so obviously I don't need the extra three days," Leo replied, his tone clearly stating that he found no flaws in his argument. "So what's it going to be, Don? Mikey in your lab, or talking to Splinter?"

Don studied his brother carefully. He was no poker player, but he knew the rules of the game. Right now Leo appeared to have the high hand: Mikey and his destructive tendencies. And Leo's poker face revealed nothing, though Don suspected Leo was just desperate enough to actually be serious about his demands. However, Don knew one of the most important things about poker: when the stakes are high, always have an ace in the hole.

And Don had his ace.

"You know what you said, Leo? That saying about love and war? Well, there's another saying, too."

"And what is that?"

Don stared his oldest brother down. "Mikey's got three more seasons of "Justice Force"."

Never before had Don seen a turtle turn so pale, nor so quickly. "No…"

Don felt a slight twinge of guilt at the horrified expression on his brother's face, but shoved it away, telling himself that it was for the best. "It's true. And they're all twenty-five episodes long."

Leo became deathly silent. "You have no honor."

Don couldn't help but chuckle. "Ah, how the tables have turned, huh Leo?" His brother glared at him, death in his gaze. Don strode over to him and threw an arm around his shoulders, taking pity on his brother. "Come on, bro; walk with me, talk with me. There has to be some way we can figure this out without things having to get ugly."

"Things have already gotten ugly," Leo muttered, relenting slightly as they walked back to the elevator. "I _hate_ those comics."

His brainy brother grinned. "And I hate the migraines I get from having to ride your shell and _having_ to ride your shell. We both want something, Leo; I want you to take the rest of the prescribed two weeks to heal, and you want to get back to the way thing normally are. There has to be a middle ground. So here's my proposition: you wait the three days-"

"How is that a compromise?" Leo demanded.

Don sighed. "You didn't let me finish. You wait the three days before you start patrols again. But in the mean time, you can pick back up with the regular training sessions. _And_, if Master Splinter agrees with it, I'll give you the okay to come topside with us tonight."

Leo stared at his brother. "You're serious?"

"I'm serious." Don grinned at the expression on Leo's face. "I know you've been anxious, to say the least, to get out of the Lair."

"'Anxious' is an understatement, Don." The relief in his voice was evident. He sighed, putting one of his hands on Don's arm. "I'm sorry, bro."

"For what?"

"For being such a pain in the shell lately. I know I've been driving you nuts, but…I just can't handle not being at my best. I can't take it, not being in shape to do moves and exercises I've done for years. And mainly…I can't handle being useless."

"What do you mean, useless?"

Leo dropped his gaze. "I can't help but feel, when I'm hurt and on the sidelines like this, that I'm useless to you and Mikey and Raph. I just end up being in the way. What am I if I can't be the leader?"

"Our brother." Don looked at Leo, wondering why they all hadn't realized before what was bothering him. "Leo, you're more than just the leader, just like I'm more than the brain, Raph's more than the hothead, and Mikey's more than the comedian. Those are just parts of us; they're not all of us."

"I know that, Don; really, I do. It's just…it's hard. I'm so used to being with you guys, looking out for you, being the leader. And it gets to the point where I spend almost all of my time, especially when Raph goes topside alone, worrying; so then I train, so I don't have to worry. It's like…if I train more, I get better, and that means I can protect you guys better, so I won't have to worry about you."

Don though quietly about what his brother had just said. "I think understand where you're coming from Leo, but you don't have to worry about us all the time. There is such a thing as being too selfless. And Leo?"

"Yeah?"

"I mean this in the nicest way possible, but…maybe you should think about getting a life."

"What!" Leo's surprise and hurt at Don's statement were all over his face.

"Wait, that came out badly. I didn't mean it like that," Don said quickly. "I mean a life outside of being the leader. That might be why this is so hard for you. Like you said, the biggest focus you have is watching out for us. So when you're out of the routine like this, you don't know what to do with yourself, which leads to you trying to exercise before you're ready, so you can get back to a point where you _do_ know what to do. But, we're older now, Leo; we don't need protected as much. I'm not trying to say we don't need you, but…well, Raph said it best. It's like you don't have faith in us, like you think we're not good enough, and so you need to protect us."

"Don, it's not like that," Leo assured him. "I know you guys can take care of yourselves, I just…"

"I know, Leo. But it would do you some good to take a break once in a while. Find something you like to do. Take advantage of downtime like this, 'cause we don't get it that often. We still want you as our leader; even Raph does, though he'd never admit it. And maybe that's what's caused a lot of the tension between you guys. You know Raph sees you as a rival, and when you're always practicing, it causes more stress between you two. We don't expect you to be a perfect leader, Leo; only you do."

Leo gave a fake sigh. "But it'd be _nice_. The ultimate achievement, the undying awe and adoration of my brothers…"

Don snorted, entering the elevator behind Leo. "Right. More like the undying attacks from your brothers. Raph would worry about you getting a big head, and would personally see to it that you didn't get full of yourself. Plus, it'd probably drive him insane." They both laughed. "No one can be perfect, bro. We're fine with you the way you are, but you don't have to be just the perfect leader. We'd rather have you be our leader _and_ our brother. And we miss having you lead us; we're just not the same when the four of us aren't together."

"I'll keep that in mind. So about this new "life" of mine; what new pastime would you suggest?" Leo asked, a grin growing on his face. "Knitting? Baking? Interior decorating?"

The purple-clad turtle laughed. "_Knitting?_ What are you, Martha Turtle? Get serious, Leo. If you took up knitting, Raph would _never_ let you live it down; not unless you knit him a noose. Baking…bro, we know you have many talents, but cooking is not one of them; I think we'd have to swear off eating if you took that up. As for interior decorating…you might be able to pull that off as Feng Shui, but we don't really have any furniture that could go anywhere else."

"There goes my lifelong dream of becoming cultured," Leo joked as they stepped out of the elevator and into the Lair.

"You want cultured?" Don inquired, a considering tone in his voice. He thought for a moment, then smiled. "Why not turn to your namesake?"

"What do you mean?"

"Leonardo da Vinci; scientist, architect, sculptor…and artist extraordinaire."

"Art?" Leo asked incredulously. "Really?"

"Why not? If I remember correctly, you drew a lot when you were younger. Leo, you manage to express yourself through Ninjitsu; why not try doing so through art as well? It could be sculpting, painting, or maybe drawing. We've got a leftover kit of pencils and paint stored around here somewhere, I think from one of Mikey's many escapades, and I'll put it in your room; you could start with that. Maybe try a still-life."

"You mean like a bowl of fruit?"

Don grinned as he made for his lab, turning back around to toss something to his brother. Leo caught it without a second thought, his attention still on Don as he waited for an answer.

He didn't have long to wait.

"They say you're supposed to draw what you love, so I was thinking more along the lines of…a pair of katana." The engineer smiled at his brother before disappearing into the subway car.

Leo looked down, and in his hand was the key to the weapons cabinet. He couldn't believe it; it had been a week since he'd held his blades. The turtle quickly made his way over to the dojo, unlocking the cabinet as swiftly as he could. There, waiting on a stand, were his katana. He lifted them out slowly, a content smile unconsciously growing on his face at their familiar weight in his hands. Leo sheathed them without a thought, the motion as natural as breathing to him. He relocked the cabinet and went to his room, where he found the art supplies, as promised.

Leo sat down and picked up one of the paintbrushes carefully. The utensil felt natural in his hand; he was used to this from writing _kanji_. But when he tried to paint a simple picture, the style was too different from penmanship, making him feel clumsy. He set aside the brush, pulled a clean sheet of paper towards him and made a few practices strokes, this time with a pencil. The turtle spent several minutes trying to re-accustom himself to the feel of it; it had been years since he'd drawn anything, years since he'd actually taken some time for himself. He then tried a small drawing of the sword stand in his room, and surprisingly, it turned out well. Soon, the pencil almost felt as natural to him as his katana. Leo grabbed another sheet of paper, determined to draw something to show Don as a way to thank him for returning his katana and reminding him of his love of drawing.

He stared at the blank paper for several minutes, trying to find some inspiration, when he recalled Don's words.

_Draw what you love._

Leo smiled as he thought of what to draw and instantly got to work. He remained in his room for the rest of the afternoon, working fervently. He took special care to make each figure as well as he was able, his perfectionism showing even through his art. Lines and shading soon filled the paper, bringing his thoughts to life. The work was slow, due in part to his constant erasing and fixing of mistakes. He ignored the call for dinner, choosing instead to work through the meal. Nearly six hours later, he was finished. The drawing was fairly simple, but to his mind not bad for him being rusty. He put his pencils aside and cracked his neck, then sat back to admire his work with a critical eye. Satisfied, he picked up the picture and left the room. He jumped down to the main floor, then entered Don's lab. Without a word, he walked up to his brother, handed him the paper, and walked back out.

Don watched as his brother left, confused. He then looked down at the paper he was holding and gasped.

In front of him, in stunning detail, was a small, hand drawn portrait of them and their friends. Him, Leo, Raph, Mikey, Splinter, Casey, April, and Leatherhead were all there, smiling up at him from the picture. And at the bottom of the picture was another work of art; Leo, in the graceful script of _kanji_ that they had been taught when they were young, had written an explanation for his art.

_You said to draw what I love. And so, I drew my family_.

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**A/N: Holy crap! This sucker was 21 PAGES! X.X (Crawls into a corner and dies) I feel so bad that this was so late, but my schedule is not working with me, and getting the chapters to come out well enough to satisfy me is hard. I don't want to give you guys bad work, so it takes me awhile to get something that I'm happy with that I also think will contain enough to keep the story moving. I think this one turned out well, and hopefully the insane length will make up for its delay. I had originally planned this chapter out differently, but then I would have been hitting you guys with another cliffhanger, and I didn't want to do that twice in a row, so I wrote until I came up with a good ending. The next chapter should be way more action-oriented, and depending on how things turn out, it may be the second to last chapter or the last one. It's crazy to think of this story being nearly done, and I honestly had no idea it would turn out like this; I only had the main plot in mind when I started, so it's like I'm reading it for the first time too:D Also, in case this has any mistakes, I apologize now, but it took me so long to get it out that by the end I was tired of reading through it.**

**In this chapter, Leo is a bit looser than he normally is, but I think that he has the ability to joke around and be a teenage boy like his brothers; however, he's denied himself the chance. So now, I'm just trying to share what I think Leo could be like were he not so "Mr. Responsibility"-ish all the time. And there was a nice Don/Leo moment in there too, because I think that theirs is a relationship that isn't explored as much, but that could and should be. Plus, I think everything needs some humor in it, so that played a part in how Leo was portrayed as well. Also, I like the idea of Leo as an artist; he strikes me as having the artistic soul in the family, and I personally think it's time he found a hobby. And, for the sake of having Leo be talented enough to draw such a good picture, I gave him a background of drawing, so it'd be like he was rediscovering drawing. I figure, heck, if I'm going to have artistic license, I might as well use it. :D So anyways, love it, hate it, either one, just please let me know how his characterization struck you guys in this chapter. Thanks so much for reading, and I will be incredibly happy and gratified if you would click the little button down yonder on the left. I'm still chugging along on this story, never fear; as usual, the next chapter will hopefully be up as close to a week from now as I can manage. See you next time!**


	11. Just Can't Get a Break

_**Disclaimer**: I don't own the TMNT. Nope, I don't. No, really! It's true, I swear! If I did, I'd be getting thousands of dollars for this story idea, instead of lots of reader hits and reviews. Although, honestly, I'm dealing with this news very well, thanks to all those hits and reviews! I mean, look at them all! I feel so special and loved:D_

_Copious amounts of gratitude and appreciation to **Tewi, Ted, coldsunshin, BubblyShell22, AncientHistory, Pi90katana, Digmon Girl, Sewer Slider, bionicle-girl** **and Janajyo** for reviewing Chapter Ten. You guys are the ones that really make this worth it. The fact that I stayed up 'til midnight to post that chapter is completely made up for, in my opinion, by the fact that I had six reviews for it by the next day, and a record breaking (for me) total of TEN reviews for that chapter. Thanks so much!_

_Now for the most important order of business: I AM **SO** SORRY! I seriously cannot believe that it has been nearly a month since I last updated. Things have been crazy around here, and I'm once again right at the end of a deadline for my AP class, which means that all of my time lately has been spent on (actually, **wasted** on) reading _Hamlet_. Another reason it's taken me so long is I've been in a bit of a limbo with the story; I wasn't sure if I wanted Chapter 11 to be the last chapter or not. I eventually decided that it would be the last, but that didn't work out; at the most recent check, it was 38 pages and still not done. So I looked through it and found the best place for a chapter break so that I could at least get something out to you guys. After all the support and compliments you guys have given me, I feel really bad about falling apart with updates, so I wanted to get something out. This chapter might not be that exciting, but it advances the plot and sets everything up for the conclusion, which I personally think will be worth the wait. The last chapter, Chapter 12, will be out as soon after this as I can manage; my deadline ends Tuesday for my AP class, so after that I'll be able to dedicate my free time to just this. Again, thank you all so much for being so patient with me, because I appreciate it more than I can say. And I'm very sorry again for not keeping up with this more, but hopefully these chapters will make it up to you all._

_Now then, get ready for the second-to-last installment of "Bleeding Heart". Are you ready? Here it comes!_

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Leo's rediscovery of his penchant for art made the remaining days of his recovery much more bearable than the early ones. When the family couldn't find him around the Lair, he was most likely in his room. However, much to their relief, it was now because he was drawing rather than practicing; it was a much quieter pastime, not to mention better for his family's blood pressure. Several sketches soon littered his room, drawings of various subjects from his brothers to different weapons to landscapes of the Lair.

After dinner, on the day that marked two weeks since Leo had been shot, the whole family gathered as Don removed the bandages. When the last layer of wrapping came off, it revealed a smooth, healed patch on Leo's plastron, with only a small amount of scarring visible.

Raph gave an appreciative whistle. "Damn, Donnie, it sure as shell didn't look like that tha last time we saw it. Nice job, bro."

"Raphael, _language_," Splinter admonished. "Though I must admit, I too am most impressed with your medical skills, Donatello."

The brainy turtle grinned. "Thanks, Master Splinter."

"No matter how impressed you guys are, you're nowhere near as happy as I am that Donnie knows his stuff," Leo pointed out.

"What, you didn't like having a bellybutton, Leo?" Mikey joked.

Leo laughed and swatted at his youngest brother. "Not when it was in the middle of my chest, Mikey." He turned to Don. "So, 'Doc', what's the diagnosis?"

"Well, after a thorough analysis and careful determination, I'd say…" he trailed off, grinning at the impatient looks on his family's faces, "you're good to go."

Raph and Mikey cheered, and Leo's face was almost split by his smile. Even Master Splinter looked happy, though Don suspected that this was because it meant Leo wouldn't be driving him insane anymore.

"There is one more thing I'd prescribe, though, Leo."

At Don's words Leo's face fell, accompanied by a sigh. "What? Two-hour naps for the rest of the week?"

Don did his best to keep maintain the serious look he wore when dealing with medical matters. "You know, that's actually not a bad idea..." When Leo continued to glare at him, Don grinned, no longer able to keep a straight face. "But I was thinking something more along the lines of a run topside. Although, if you _want_ the nap, I have absolutely no objections…"

The brainy turtle had barely finished speaking before Leo had sprinted for the door. He was out of the Lair and making his way through the sewers in less than five seconds.

"Leo's back!" Mikey cheered. He and Raph high-three-ed each other and took off after Leo with Don close behind them.

The last turtle in the procession out of the Lair, Don called over his shoulder to Master Splinter. "We'll be back in a bit, Sensei!"

"Have a good time, my sons," the old rat replied. "And be-" The door to the Lair slammed shut. "-careful," he finished, sighing. Shaking his head, Splinter made his way to his chair. As he sat down, he looked around the Lair. It was always surprising to him how quiet their home could be without his sons around. He fancied he could almost see them as they had been recently: Michelangelo was watching TV alone and casting sad, anxious glances at Leonardo's room, the fact that he sorely missed his big brother clearly evident; Donatello was all over the Lair, in and out of Leonardo's room changing bandages, and being driven everywhere either trying to find Leonardo or hide from him; and Raphael was most often in the dojo, taking out his anger at his brother's injury and situation out on the punching bag and target dummies. The past two weeks had been hard on more than just Leonardo; even though they weren't injured, it had been difficult for his brothers as well. The four had been raised to depend on and work with one another; they were more a single unit than four separate beings. When one part was missing, all the rest suffered. And now, finally, for the first time in far too long, they were whole again.

_And,_ Splinter thought with a grateful sigh, _the Lair is quiet again_.

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The four turtles sped across the rooftops, letting off carefree shouts. The fact that Leo did not admonish his brothers in their loudness showed just how happy he was to be out of the Lair.

Raph, Don and Mikey dropped back a bit as Leo took the lead. The three younger turtles watched as their brother executed leaps and flips easily, the grace of his movements making it hard to believe he'd been out of practice for two weeks. After one particularly showy maneuver, Don shook his head ruefully.

"Leo just doesn't do "take it easy", does he?"

"Can ya blame 'im? Don; he's been stuck in tha Lair fer two weeks an' he ain't been able ta do anythin'. Bein' a ninja's everythin' to 'im, just like all yer techno-crap is everythin' to you."

Don cast a surprised look at his brother. "You, defending Leo? Now I really _have_ heard everything."

"Ah, can it, shell-fer-brains."

By this point the trio caught up to Leo, who was standing quietly on a rooftop, looking up at the starry sky. The brothers silently took up positions around him, joining him in his stargazing. All four felt a moment of complete contentment; it was a beautiful, peaceful night, and they were all together again.

And then Mikey started whining. "Can we go now? I'm bored!"

"Talk about ruining the moment," Don grumbled. "I'm guessing you're referring to a patrol?" At Mikey's nod, the brainy turtle sighed. "So much for a quiet evening."

Raph snorted and twirled his sai. "An' why tha shell would we want a quiet evenin'? Aftah gettin' in touch wit' his "artistic side", we gotta make sure Fearless here still knows how ta fight."

"You're telling me," Mikey quipped. "I swear I saw Klunk stick his tongue out at Leo when he walked past this afternoon." Don and Raph joined him in his laughter.

"Is that an offer, Raphael?" Leo's quiet voice cut off the chuckling of his two youngest brothers. They gulped as they saw the predatory grin on his face as he slowly unsheathed his katana. "Without me to ride your shell the past couple of weeks, I'm willing to bet you've been slacking in your training. No extra katas, no additional practices, no sparring…you've probably gone soft."

"Ooooo…" Don and Mikey chorused. Even without looking at their short-tempered brother, they knew a fight was imminent; if there was any insult Raph did not take kindly to, it was an insult to his fighting skills. And it was a well-known fact that Raph was, to put it mildly, "touchy" on the subject of who was the better fighter out of him and Leo. Don and Mikey's eyes darted to Raph; one glance at his narrowed eyes and the dark look he wore sent them to a distant corner of the roof.

"This is just to be polite, you realize," Don said as they slowly edged away from their older brothers. "It's not like we're worried or anything."

"Of course," Mikey blustered. "The Battle Nexus Champion fears no one!"

The two brothers looked at each other.

"Next roof?" Don asked.

"Next roof," Mikey agreed.

The pair snickered as they cleared the gap between their current building and the next. They both knew very well they were giving their brothers space out of self-preservation; when Leo and Raph sparred, no one within a ten foot radius was safe. Don and Mikey had learned long ago to give their older brothers those ten feet; and often times an extra five, just to be safe. They took up seats on the edge of the roof. Even with the fights being as dangerous as they always were, Leo and Raph's battles were always great to view (from a distance), and they had become something of a spectator sport for their younger brothers.

"Since I'm feeling generous, Don, I'll let you choose first for the betting," Mikey offered.

"The regular rate?"

"Yep. Five bucks. Pick your bro, bro."

"Cool." Don watched his brothers silently as they circled each other. He could hear from here the taunts and trash talk the two were exchanging. "Huh. This could be a hard one. On one hand, Leo hasn't been doing his normal training sessions lately, so he's not quite up to his normal standards. But he's still been doing some training, so he's not totally out of shape. But on the other hand, there's Raph. He's still been keeping up with training, and he's a bit of an upper hand on Leo because of getting practice fighting with Purple Dragons. However, Leo's right; with him being out of commission, no one's been on Raph's case, and he hasn't been practicing as much. _But_, Leo still has been injured, and isn't at his best."

"Donnie, if you don't make up your mind soon, the fight's going to be over," Mikey complained.

"Well excuse me if I want to think hard about where my money's going."

"Dude, we're turtles with no allowances. We've got little cash and fewer places to spend it. You don't have much money to worry about."

"Five bucks is five bucks."

"Donnniieeeee…"

"Alright, alright, keep your shell on." Don watched as his two brothers continued circling. Don's mind went over some last minute calculations, quickly going over probabilities, before he finally threw his hands up in defeat. "Ah, what the shell. I call Raph."

"Really?" Surprise colored Mikey's voice. "Dude, you normally go for Leo. Why the change of heart?"

"Part guess, part wishful thinking."

"And…I'm lost."

Don sighed. "I normally bet on Leo because my statistics show he has a higher average of winning, and because he normally has the benefit of extra practice. But since all the contingencies cancel each other out, neither of them have a definite advantage over the other. They've each got a fifty-fifty chance of winning, and we both know there's no chance for a tie because they'd both throw themselves off the roof before that would happen. And for some reason, I'm just kind of banking on Raph tonight, so I picked him."

"Alright, I get the guess part, but what about the wishful thinking?"

"Think about it, Mikey. Raph lives to beat Leo in fights. And if he doesn't beat Leo when Leo's been injured for two weeks…well, let's just say it won't be pleasant living with him."

Mikey shuddered. "You've got a point, Don. I think this will be one time in my life I will be grateful to lose a bet." He glanced up. "Here we go."

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Leo and Raph came together in a clash of steel and sparks. They struck rapidly, their blades flashing in and out faster than the untrained eye could see. Blow after blow came from each brother, strikes and parries meeting attacks and blocks. They were evenly matched, as usual. Locking their blades, they quickly fell into their old routine of trash talk.

"What's tha matter, Fearless? Scared ya can't take me?" Raph taunted.

Leo smirked at his brother. "Hardly. I'm just taking it easy on you. Wouldn't want you to get beat by an invalid fresh out of recovery."

Raph growled. "No chance in shell yer gonna beat me, Leo. Ya've gone soft."

"Really? I beg to differ. I've been keeping up with training; just ask Don."

"Fine, I will. Hey, Donnie; tell Mr. Perfect here I could kick his shell with one arm tied behind my back." When no answer was forthcoming, Raph looked around, confused. "Don? Mikey? Where tha shell'd they go?"

Leo joined his brother in his search as they withdrew their weapons. He quickly located their younger brothers on the next roof over and nudged Raph to get his attention. "Raph. See anyone you recognize?"

Raph glanced over and a disbelieving look came to his face. "You gotta be kiddin' me. We ain't really that bad, are we?" Leo's look spoke volumes. "Right. Stupid question."

"Raph."

The hothead turned to see his brother standing beside him calmly, examining his katana as though he didn't have a care in the world. "Yeah?"

"I'm willing to bet that Don and Mikey haven't been keeping up in their training while I've been laid up either; am I right?"

Raph grinned at the devious smile taking over his brother's face. "You thinkin' 'bout some double-teamin'?"

"You bet. I've missed being a big brother."

The two turtles' dark chuckles reached their younger brothers even from across the gap of the buildings. Mikey was the first to see them approaching.

"Uh oh. Um, Don? We've got a problem."

Don looked up from where he had been working on his shell cell. "What?" Before his brother could answer, a sly voice drifted towards them.

"Oh, Don…Mikey…" Raph called in a sing-song voice, twirling his sai with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Come out and plaaay…"

The younger brothers' eyes shot to each other in panic. Things never went well when Raph was like this. Especially not when Leo was also in a "good mood".

"Come on, guys," the blue-clad turtle cajoled. "I've just called a little practice session…"

"Oh shell. We're screwed," Mikey stated bluntly. "So thoroughly screwed." Turning to his brother, he gripped Don by the shoulders. "It's been nice knowing you, bro."

"Right back at you, Mikey."

As the two pulled out their weapons and readied themselves for their brother's attack, Leo and Raph slowly walked closer.

"Hey Raph," the blue-clad turtle remarked casually to his brother.

"Yeah, Leo?"

"Is it just me, or do our brothers look a little worried?"

Raph grinned as he spun his sai back and forth. "It ain't just you, bro. Ya wanna go give 'em somethin' ta _be_ worried about?"

"Ready when you are."

The two older brothers were about to jump across the distance separating their building from Don and Mikey's when a scream suddenly tore through the night.

Raph growled. "There go our party plans. You up fer it, Fearless?" He turned to look at Leo.

"Definitely. Let's g-"

Right before Raph's eyes, Leo's right knee wrenched to the side and a sharp crack echoed across the rooftops.

"Aghh!" Leo's scream followed the cracking noise as he dropped to his side, falling clumsily on his left knee.

"Shit, Leo!" Raph was at his brother's side in an instant. "What tha shell happened!"

"Leo!" Two more voices followed Raph's as Don and Mikey leapt over from the neighboring building, Don reaching Leo first.

"Don, what tha shell happened to 'im! What's wrong with his leg?"

Don quickly sheathed his bo staff, then turned to support his oldest brother. "I don't know! Help me get him onto his back so I can find out." They carefully maneuvered Leo so that he was leaning against an air conditioning unit. Don looked over Leo's leg, gently prodding his knee in different places, then leaned back with an unreadable look on his face. "Shell."

"What's wrong?" Mikey asked anxiously.

"His knee's dislocated."

Leo's eyes slid shut at the news. "Great."

"Mind telling me what happened, Raph?"

"How tha hell should I know? We were standin' there talkin', an' all of a sudden, it's like someone kicked his knee out."

"That's it?" Don's expression was bemused. "That doesn't make any sense. You can't dislocate your knee just by standing in place, and nothing even touched him." His face filled with frustration, the analytical part of his mind searching for answers and coming up empty-handed. "Knees don't just dislocate themselves!"

"Don, if you don't mind…I'd really appreciate it…if you would just fix it," Leo ground out between clenched teeth. His face was slowly paling from pain and discomfort. "You can figure out why it happened…when we get back to the Lair."

"Right. Sorry, Leo." Don quickly shifted so that he was in front of his brother. "Raph, Mikey, I'm going to need you guys to hold him. Leo, I'll make this as quick as I can, but it's going to hurt."

Leo waved him on. "That's fine."

"Ready?" The purple-clad turtle waited as his brothers moved to support Leo and hold him still, then turned to Leo. "Here we go." Don gripped his brother's ankle, then straightened the leg out and pulled. A loud pop resounded through the air as the knee snapped back into place.

Leo's face quickly lost the rest of its color and a strangled yell made its way from his throat. Raph and Mikey tightened their grip, holding their brother down as his body jerked. Sweat began to bead on Leo's forehead as he sagged against the side of the cooling unit. "Thanks, Don," he managed, breathing heavily.

"How does it feel?"

Leo slowly bent his knee, though he had to grit his teeth to do so. "Other than like shell, it feels fine. Normal, anyways."

"Good. We've got to get you home and wrap that. We'll also want to get some ice on it so it doesn't swell too badly."

"Well, there go our plans for a night on the town," Leo quipped dryly. He held onto Raph and Mikey as they carefully hauled him to his feet.

"You've just always gotta be a party-pooper, don't ya, Leo?" Mikey joked.

"Someone's got to keep you guys from having too much fun." Leo winced as his brothers helped him over to the edge of the roof.

"So now what? How're we gonna get Gimpy here down ta street level?" Raph asked. "Chuck 'im over tha side?"

Don shot a disturbed look at his brother, unsure if he was joking or not. "Um, no. Leo, as much as I hate to have you do this, I think you're going to have to go down the fire escape."

Mikey's eyes were huge at this statement. "With _one leg_!"

The brainy turtle shrugged helplessly. "There's no other way. We can't carry him down, and no, Raph, we are _not_ throwing him over the side. We've got to get out of sight before the Foot show up. If that happens, with Leo's leg like it is, we'll be in trouble."

Leo carefully pushed off of his brothers. "I'll be fine, Mikey; let's just get home."

The turtles made their way down the ladder. Raph, Don and Mikey went first, while Leo followed slowly. He first tried climbing, shifting his arms as he struggled to maneuver with one leg; however, he soon gave that up and settled for carefully sliding down the outside of the ladder. A trip that normally took the ninjas seconds took nearly five minutes. By the time Leo reached the bottom, his arms and legs were trembling. Mikey immediately ran to his side and slung Leo's arm around his own shoulders. He led Leo over to the manhole they had found by the back of the alley, and the pair rested for a couple minutes.

"You okay to get down this, bro?" he finally asked Leo hesitantly, watching his big brother's face.

"Oh, sure," Leo drawled sarcastically. "I love ladders."

The second trip took nearly as long as the first, and Leo was once again shaking by the end. Raph and Don were waiting at the bottom, and Leo joined them, leaning heavily against the sewer wall.

"Where are we at, Don?"

Don pulled out his tracker and checked the readings. "We're at 17th and Oak Street, about five minutes' walk from the Lair."

Leo sighed. "I guess it could be worse. Don, you and Mikey go scout ahead and make sure we're not going to run into anyone. Raph, if it won't cramp your style, I'd appreciate a hand."

"Why not," Raph replied, pulling Leo's arm around his shoulders as Don and Mikey led the way. "Just don't get used ta it. We're gettin' yer butt some crutches when we get back. I ain't carryin' ya everywhere."

"Trust me, Raph; I'm not enjoying this any more than you are."

The trip was uneventful, and the turtles were soon home. As soon as they got inside, the turtles split off; Don went in search of a knee brace and an ice pack, and Mikey headed for the kitchen for some Advil. Raph helped Leo over to the couch, where the injured turtle carefully propped his leg up on the table, wincing as he did so. He sighed heavily, resting his head on the back of the couch and staring at the ceiling stonily.

Raph eyed his brother. "What's rubbin' yer shell, bro? I'm normally th'one who does tha moody thing."

The corner of Leo's mouth turned up slightly in a weary smile. "I'm just so tired of this."

"Tired of what?"

"This." Leo waved vaguely at his knee. "I only just got out of here, and already I'm back, laid up for who knows how long again. It's like the Fates are against me; everything was so close to being right. I had just gotten my life back, just gotten back to things being normal, and it's all snatched away again."

"Bro, it ain't like yer never gonna walk again. Yer just gonna be out fer like a week or so, right?"

"More like a few weeks, Raph." Leo and Raph turned to see Don walking up with a brace, a pair of crutches, and a bag of frozen vegetables.

"A few _weeks_?" Leo echoed.

"Sorry, bro, that's how it goes. Patella dislocations, or rather meniscus injuries, don't have a short healing time."

Raph stared at Don uncomprehendingly. "This is New York, Donnie. We speak English here. Now what tha shell are 'spatula dislocations' and 'mucus injuries'?"

"That's _patella_ and _meniscus_." When Don was still met with blank stares, he sighed. Sitting down and beginning to carefully slide the brace onto Leo's knee, he explained. "The patella protects the knee, or rather the joint; patella is just another word for kneecap. The meniscus is a section of cartilage that's found in joints, in this case the knee. There are two of these sections, the lateral and the medial, and they act as cushions for the joint. When a kneecap dislocates, which is what happened to Leo, the meniscus tears a bit. Fortunately, it appears that Leo only has a minor tear, so it should heal completely. After it heals and Leo goes through some rehab physical therapy, his knee should be good as new."

Leo's face was hopeful. "So, no long term effects?"

"Nope," Don replied. "But you will have to stay off that leg for about two to three weeks; otherwise fluid could collect around the joint and make everything worse." Finally settling the knee brace into position, he looked up. "How does that feel? Do you feel like you have a little more support?" At Leo's nod, Don smiled. "Good. Here." He handed Leo the bag of vegetables he had brought with him.

The leader's face was a study in confusion. "Don, what on earth am I supposed to do with a bag of frozen corn?"

"It's for your knee. I couldn't find the ice pack. And another thing; even though you've got the crutches, I want you to keep movement to a minimum in order to minimize the swelling."

"In other words, act like Mikey," Raph supplied. "Be a couch potato."

"I heard that." Mikey entered the family room, a glass of water in one hand and a bottle of pain medicine in the other.

"You were meant ta hear it. 'Sides, it's tha truth."

Mikey stuck his tongue out at his brother and handed Leo the pills. "There ya go, bro; strongest ones we've got."

"Thanks, Mikey."

The youngest turtle waited while Leo shook out the medication, and his gaze wandered towards Leo's knee. He saw the bag and frowned.

"Don, is that the corn from the freezer?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"That was supposed to be for dinner!"

"Well that's too bad. Leo needed something to keep the swelling down." Don eyed the vegetables; even he had to admit it wasn't ideal. "Tell you what, find me the ice pack and you can have the corn back."

"Dude, you're ransoming my cooking supplies!"

"Hey, if I recall correctly, you were the last one to use the ice pack, so why shouldn't _you_ have to find it? And it's not ransom, it's a trade," Don said defensively.

"Fine. Will you help me look for it?"

"In _your_ room? That's like asking me to walk barefoot across a glass-covered floor. It's a danger zone in there."

"It is not! I cleaned it just yesterday!"

"Meaning what, you shoveled a path from the door to your bed?"

"Hey, at least you never have to worry about the contents of _my_ room exploding and killing us all in our sleep."

"No, with _your_ room, we just have to worry about whatever lives under the piles on your floor reproducing and _eating_ us in our sleep."

The two brothers argued as they made their way for Mikey's room, Don reluctantly agreeing to help look for the elusive ice pack. Leo and Raph listened as their voices trailed off upon entering Mikey's room, and for a moment, all was quiet; then Don came charging out of the room with Mikey hot on his heels, and slammed the door behind him.

"I told you things would start reproducing in there!"

"Dude, nothing lives in my room but me!"

"Then explain why there was something orange on the floor."

"Bro, that was Klunk!"

Don halted his younger brother. "…That was not Klunk."

"How do you know?" Mikey countered.

The brainy turtle gulped and raised an arm slowly. "Because," he said, pointing at Master Splinter's chair, "Klunk is right there."

The cat glanced up at his owner, who, along with Don, was slowly turning pale. Then both of the younger turtles suddenly sprinted for Don's lab. Their brothers shared a confused look as sounds of rummaging could be heard from the subway car.

"Hey, Don, Mikey," Leo called. "What's going on?"

The younger turtle barreled out of the lab, wearing a gas mask and gloves. Don continued to grab supplies, though he paused to yell at his brothers.

"We've got a situation on our hands! Something orange, and I don't know what, is growing on Mikey's floor. We're not sure if it moved or not, but either way, Mikey's room is quarantined until further notice!"

Don then charged up the stairs after Mikey, also wearing a mask and gloves, but armed with what looked like a hazardous material container too. The door to Mikey's room slammed again, and soon, more talking could be heard.

"That is so gross, Don! What the shell is it!"

"How on earth should I know! What was on this plate anyways?"

"Um, some old potato chips and some spilled milk, I think."

"Gross. Wait, what are these?"

"The cheese curls from the top of the fridge."

"What! Dammit, Mikey, I thought I told you to throw these out _weeks_ ago!"

"But they still tasted fine. And…hey, you just swore at me!"

"Yes, I did! And you deserved it! These are way past the expiration date, and if any of whatever _that_ is would have gotten into the air, instead of congealing on your floor, it might have killed us. Who knows what the effects would be!"

"Dude, it's just a pile of orange stuff."

"Fine, then you take this hazmat container and get that "orange stuff" off the floor."

The voices subsided for a couple of minutes. Leo and Raph exchanged a look.

"Never a dull moment," Leo commented dryly. "Hey, wait a minute. Now that I think about it, when I went in Mikey's room last month, those dishes were there." He looked thoughtful, then turned to Raph. "How long has it been since you went in Mikey's room?"

Raph snorted. "Not since 'bout two months ago when I had ta go in there ta find my CD."

"And were the dishes there when you went, too?"

"Yeah, I think so. Why?"

Leo looked slightly ill. "That means that plate, and whatever was on it, has been on the floor for at least two months."

"You serious?" Raph shuddered. "Damn, then it ain't no wonder there's things growin' on it."

"AHHHH! Get it off, get it off, GET IT OFF!" Mikey's girly scream tore through the Lair, quickly followed by the turtle himself.

"Mikey, stop running! We can't risk spreading that around the Lair!" Don was charging after his brother with a Petri dish and a bottle of disinfectant.

"Then get it offa me!"

"Get back to your room and I will!"

Leo and Raph watched calmly as their brothers flailed, and then the door slammed for a third time. Then Raph broke the silence.

"Weird. So, anythin' on TV?"

Leo flipped on the television and quickly flipped through a few channels. "Um, some soaps, a segment on Africa on the Discovery Channel, and James Bond."

"Bond, huh? Sean Connery?"

"Nope. One of the other guys."

"Eh, then never mind." Raph levered himself to his feet. "I'm gonna go fer a run topside; maybe go bust some skulls with Case."

A fleeting look of longing passed over Leo's face, but was quickly hidden. "Be careful."

Raph laid a compassionate hand on his brother's shoulder. "You'll be back soon, bro."

"Yeah, sure." Leo waved Raph off. "Go on, get outta here."

"Alright, I'll be back in 'bout an hour."

Leo heard his brother stop in the kitchen briefly, then watched as he exited the Lair. He sighed heavily. _Now what?_ He looked around; the current television selection didn't interest him, and there wasn't much he could do with a bum leg…but he could still draw. The thought cheered him up a bit, and an image of him and his brothers, four silent silhouettes racing across the rooftops, came to mind; it would make a great picture if he could draw it well enough, and it would provide enough of a challenge to keep his mind off of his knee for a while. _Don never said I couldn't walk around at all, just not a lot…_Snatching up his crutches, he stood carefully, wincing as his right leg bumped the table slightly, then started off for his room. He had nearly made it to the stairs, wondering how he would get up them, when the door to Mikey's room flew open again. Mikey made a beeline for the bathroom, and Don came storming out behind him. His eyes narrowed as they fell on Leo.

"I had a feeling you'd be trying to make a break for it while I was busy," he accused. "I thought I told you to take it easy."

"Actually, you said "keep movement to a minimum". And I'm not "making a break for it"; I'm just going upstairs to get my art supplies."

"Oh? And how exactly were you planning on carrying those downstairs while on your crutches?" Don asked, raising an eye ridge.

"Um…I actually hadn't thought of that," Leo admitted.

Don sighed. "Figures. I'll get them for you, Leo. You could've just asked."

"I thought you were busy with Mikey and the…whatever it is that's growing in his room."

"I was, but we've got it cleaned up now, so it's alright." Don disappeared into Leo's room, then returned, his arms loaded with pencils and pads of paper. He joined Leo at the bottom of the stairs. "I swear, I don't know how Mikey lives in his room with it being in the state it is." He waited until Leo got situated on the couch, then handed him his supplies. "Where's Raph?"

Leo's face fell. "He went topside for a run."

"Oh." Don watched his brother; he could tell how much being an "invalid" again so soon was bothering him. He touched Leo's arm. "If you want to talk or you need anything, I'll be in my lab studying whatever it is that we got out of Mikey's room, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, Don." Leo fell to his art, sketching preliminary lines carefully on the paper.

Don watched his brother a few moments longer, then walked off. He met Mikey on the way to his lab and motioned for his little brother to follow him.

"Did you get your arm washed off well?" he asked once they were inside the abandoned subway car.

"Yep," Mikey replied. "And I used the disinfectant stuff you gave me too. What's up with Leo?"

The purple-clad turtle sighed and leaned against the counter. From here he could see his brother still drawing on the couch, casting glances towards the door every so often. "Leo's still really upset about being laid up again, especially since he just got out. And Raph's not helping."

"What'd he do?"

Don snorted and turned back to his desk. "He was insensitive. Right after I just told Leo he'd have to stay off his leg for a few weeks, he went and told Leo he was going topside for a run."

"Oh. Well, Raph kind of doesn't deal with this stuff well."

"I know, but it wouldn't hurt for him to try a little harder to learn to deal with it."

Mikey was silent. He hated it when things got like this between his brothers. Whenever it did, he normally fell to his old standby: diversion. "So, didja find anything new about Iganna?"

If Don recognized Mikey's attempts for what they were, he didn't say anything. "No. Though now that you mention it, I did want to look something else up about her. Can you grab me her purse?"

"Sure!" Mikey was relieved that the topic change had worked. "Where's it at?"

"It should still be on the kitchen table."

"'Kay. I'll be right back." Mikey padded out of the lab and into the kitchen, glancing at Leo as he did so. His brother's face was focused and a little sad, but at least it didn't look as depressed as earlier. Turning back to the task at hand, Mikey ran his gaze around the kitchen, but he couldn't find the purse anywhere. He decided to try a quick search of the rest of the Lair, and located the purse on the floor by the Lair's entrance. _What's it doing here?_ He shrugged and rejoined Don.

"Hey, bro, the purse wasn't in the kitchen; it was over by the door."

Don craned his neck around to see his brother, a look of confusion on his face. "Really? I was sure I'd put it on the table. I guess someone moved it. Can you grab Iganna's license out of there for me? It ought to be in her wallet."

"No problem." Mikey rummaged through the purse, quickly locating the small leather object. Rifling through the different cards, he came up empty-handed. "No dice, Don; her license isn't in here."

"What? I _know_ it was in there; I checked it earlier to see if she'd told us her real last name." Don took the wallet and purse from his brother and searched through it himself. When his search proved fruitless as well, he sighed. "I know I didn't put it anywhere; I kept it in her purse so I'd be sure to know where to find it…did you take her license, by chance?" he asked, turning to his brother.

"No!" Mikey said defensively. "Besides, what would I want it for?"

"Good point. Well, this is confusing. I mean, it's not like it could just run off-" Don cut himself off suddenly. "Wait a minute. Mikey, where'd you say you found her purse?"

"Um, over by the door."

Don flung the purse onto a clear space on his desk and sighed. "Well, that explains it."

Mikey was confused. "Explains what?"

"The license ran off, alright; but it had a little reptilian help."

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Raph leapt across the rooftops, reveling in the cool night air. He loved coming topside for runs, especially his solo ones. It was fun with his brothers, too, but there was just something about being the only one up here, about being so high above this, watching everyone while no one knew you were there…

_Ah, enough of this_, he thought, shaking off his thoughts. _Where's that broad live again?_

The red-clad turtle pulled a small card out of his wrist guard, revealing Iganna's license. As soon as they'd gotten back to the Lair, Raph had spotted the purse on the table, and it was like something just clicked; he didn't know why, but he was suddenly sure that what happened to Leo's knee was Iganna's fault. He didn't know how she could have caused the accident, but something in his gut told him to investigate. He hadn't trusted her since the talk they'd had at April's, and Master Splinter was always telling them that one of a ninja's most important weapons was their instinct. So he'd told Leo he was going topside, and swiped the license; he'd check out where she lived, and if the opportunity presented itself, conduct a little…unsupervised visit. Raph reread the address, and was at the given location in less than five minutes.

Making his way down the fire escape, he quickly found the small apartment. It was the work of a couple minutes to get past the lock on the window and slip inside. He looked around at his surroundings: a bathroom. _I'll nevah understand why people always put tha windows in tha bathrooms. _Raph walked to the door and carefully opened it a crack. He glanced around the apartment, but he didn't sense anyone. _Good; makes my job that much easier._ The turtle wandered around the small living area, searching for anything suspicious; he wasn't sure what he was looking for, but something was bound to turn up. When he couldn't find anything in the living room or kitchen, he moved on to the bedroom. His search of the drawers and bedside table were also fruitless, increasing his frustration.

_Dammit, I know she ain't gonna have a diary lyin' around that says "why I'm a creepy broad", but it's like this dame don't have any past!_

Raph was about to call it a night when his gaze swept over the closet. He walked over and opened it, revealing some normal closet inhabitants: shoes, skirts, business suits, and luggage bags. But it was the small box shoved in the back of one corner that caught his eye. Pulling it out, he set it on the bed and opened it. The box was full of photos and small trinkets that Raph assumed were mementos.

"Pay dirt," he whispered.

He quickly shuffled through the pictures, and came across what appeared to be a family portrait; a man, a woman who appeared to be Iganna, and a young girl were standing with their arms around each other, smiling for the camera. He flipped the picture over, and on the back a small note was scrawled: _Papa, Mama, and me on my 14th birthday._ Raph looked back to the front; the young girl must have been Iganna, but in the picture, her mother looked exactly like Iganna did now. _Talk about family resemblance_, he mused. He rifled through the rest of the pictures, most of which featured Iganna and her parents, until he came to the bottom. The turtle carefully extracted the letter that lay there and began to read.

_To my dearest wife,_

_By now you have no doubt discovered my absence. While I know this will bring you pain, I have no choice. I can no longer stand by and witness the actions of our daughter. As a father, I love Iganna more than my own life, but her actions of late repulse and horrify me. Even more than that, your acceptance of them and refusal to do anything about the situation also drives me away. I will not be a part of this. I cannot justify or condone what Iganna has done and continues to do. You know that what she does is wrong, but still you will not raise a hand to stop her, telling me that her "gifts" are taxing to control. And yet you control yours; Iganna is a bright girl, and she could curb her actions as well if she wanted to. But she will not. I do not posses the talents that the two of you do, and as such, our daughter shows only disdain towards me. You are the only one she listens to, but you still refuse to act. And so I must leave. My presence and opinion upsets her, so she lashes out, and I cannot stand by and watch as she continues to hurt those I have grown up beside. And since I cannot stop her either, there is nothing left here for me. If her anger is directed towards me, and I am gone, perhaps the attacks will stop. If ever you finally open your eyes to what Iganna is doing, come to me; I will wait for you in America. I am going to the state of New York, to see what life I can make there. I wish you all the best, and my heart is always with you._

_All my love, your husband,_

_Mario_

Raph sat back, his mind blank with shock. He was right; there _was_ something wrong about Iganna, something seriously wrong. He looked back at the letter. _But what tha shell did this dame do? What did she do that was bad enough that her own _father_ left her?_ Raph glanced up at the clock, noting the time; he'd been gone only half an hour, but he was suddenly hit with the need to be home. He quickly set the letter back in the box, covered it with the pictures and returned the box to its place in the closet. He made his way out of the bedroom and headed for the bathroom, checking to see if he'd left anything out of place. Only when he'd assured himself that everything was left as he'd found it did he exit the window.

Raph's trip back to the Lair was decidedly shorter than his trip leaving it; a strange urgency pressed on him, like someone was whispering in his ear: _get home quickly; run faster; you need to be with your family…you need to warn them._

The last thought bothered him. _Warn them about what?_

Much to Raph's discomfort, an answer rose from the depths of his mind almost instantly:

_Warn them about _her.

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**A/N: Woo. This one was 20 pages long. . It's like I don't know how to write short chapters anymore or something. :D Hopefully this chapter was satisfying; I know that in the grand scheme not too much happened, but what _did_ happen was necessary to set the scene for the conclusion. I don't really have that much to say about Chapter 11, other than sorry for the kinda cliff-hanger-ish ending. I'm hoping you guys liked it; I thought it was pretty good. And you all should be very proud of me, because I actually researched dislocated knees! XD I surfed the internet for probably around 20 minutes looking up info on dislocated knees, like explanations and healing times, just so everything would be realistic. And I actually learned some things, too, so it was doubly-good:D There are also a few more revelations about Iganna for everybody, mainly a little more info on her past. I know the suspense is starting to drive some people nuts, and trust me, I can't wait for the last chapter to get out either. I'm really proud of it so far, and I'm hoping that I can find the perfect way to end it. So once more, my apologies for leaving you guys hanging for so long, and thanks so much for sticking with me through this. I hope this chapter will at least tide you over until the finale, and please review! (For anyone who does review, feel free to make me feel as guilty as you want about getting the last chapter finished soon; I need all the extra motivation I can get! ;;) Thanks and bye!**


	12. Revelations

_**Disclaimer**: I own a sarcastic sense of humor, big feet, a black Lab, some various articles of clothing, and some of the greatest CDs ever. But I don't own the TMNT. If I did, you'd see my name rolling along the TV screen with the credits, as opposed to the names of Eastman and Laird._

_And in case anyone noticed, yes, I did change the category for this story. (Hey, that rhymed! XD) I think it fits a little better. I did think this would be more of an action story when I started it, but it took a little turn along the way, so I'm just tweaking the categories a bit._

_Enormous thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapter 11. This list of love includes such illustrious names as **Pi90katana, mac, Sewer Slider, Tewi, greshunkai, Digmon Girl, Janajyo, BubblyShell22, JediMasterKalta-74 and bionicle-girl.** You guys seriously rock hardcore, just so you know. _

_Once again I extend an enormous amount of thanks and apologies to everyone who's stuck with this story. I don't know why but for some reason my plot bunnies have contracted dementia, while I've contracted writer's block. The result was this: I was completely stuck on my current story, but I kept getting new story ideas like a rash. And while that's not a bad thing (the new story ideas part), it threw me off on this story. So I would skip parts; I'd write part of the story, then skip forward, then go back, and I'd be left with gaps in the story that were really awkward to write. But my writer's block finally broke Sunday night, so I'm back in business._

_And again, I'm really sorry about my lack of consistency with this. It really makes me feel bad that my updating schedule has fallen apart, and that I've yet again made you guys wait almost a month for the next chapter. . I still remember the good ole days when I could manage the once a week update schedule…sigh. But now with the end of the school year fast approaching and my school demanding that I finish everything up for graduation, free time is getting scarcer. On top of that, I messed up my chapter count AGAIN. I was positive that I could fit the rest of this story into one more chapter, but I once again ended up with a 35 page long chapter that wasn't even finished. So I chopped it again, even though I would have preferred to keep it as one. That's part of the reason this took so long; I was so sure I could make it into one chapter that I didn't really look at this sucker until I hit page 35. . But at least there's an upside to this: since I wrote so much, the rest of the story is basically done, so unless I get mauled by a bear or something, I should have the conclusion out quickly. Plus there's only 21 days of school left, so then I'll have all the time in the world to write. Yay! \ o / _

_And so, without any further ado (or adon't XD lol), here's Chapter 12 "Bleeding Heart"._

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Raph's trip back to the Lair was decidedly shorter than his trip leaving it; a strange urgency pressed on him, like someone was whispering in his ear: _get home quickly; run faster; you need to be with your family…you need to warn them._

The last thought bothered him. _Warn them about what?_

Much to Raph's discomfort, an answer rose from the depths of his mind almost instantly:

_Warn them about_ **_her_**.

Raph grit his teeth and sped up. He never got premonitions like this; it was always Leo or Splinter who seemed to be more in tune with that sort of thing. The only other time he could remember this kind of anxiousness was when they were waiting in April's apartment years ago, right before Leo came crashing through the window.

The turtle growled. The memories of that time, quickly recalled after Leo had been shot, were far from welcome. He shook them off, angry at himself for his fear and forcing the fears back into their corner; _it's OVER. Leo survived that time an' he survived this time, too. Dammit, just let it GO._ Raph had never told anyone how much that awful attack on his brother had bothered him, though he suspected that everyone already knew; he had never exactly been good at hiding his anger in such situations.

Raph finally reached the Lair, typed in the door's access code, and entered. He looked around, then sighed gratefully; everything was just as he'd left it. Leo was still on the couch, his attention focused on the tablet of paper before him; Mikey was drifting around the kitchen, on the prowl for a late night snack; and Don…was glaring at him from his lab, Iganna's purse in hand.

_Shell,_ Raph winced. _Busted._ He had purposefully not mentioned that he was going to check out Iganna for exactly this reason: his family would have been against it, especially since he went alone. He winced as Don beckoned to him, and prepared to face the music. Don waited until Raph was in the lab before he began to lay into him.

"So, did you have a nice time at Iganna's?" The purple-clad turtle asked, his insincerely friendly tone contrasting with the glare on his face.

Raph sighed and folded his arms. _Great. Like it ain't bad enough I always got Leo on my case, now Don's startin' up too._ "Yeah, yeah, I shoulda told ya I was goin'; no, I shouldn't've gone alone; an' yeah, I'm a reckless hothead. Anythin' else ya want ta add?"

Don maintained his glare for another minute before it melted into an exasperated sigh and a slight grin. "No, I suppose that pretty much covers it, other than adding that you're hopeless." He shook his head. "I honestly don't know how Leo puts up with you when you're like this."

"It's 'cause he lives ta ride my shell."

Don leveled a serious look at his brother. "You know it's not like that, Raph. Leo worries about you; he worries about all of us. He knows he can't stop you from living your life, and he's not trying to; he's just trying to make sure you can _keep_ living it."

Raph met his brother's look with a stubborn one. He kept up the contact for a few seconds before the emotion in his brother's eyes broke his resolve. He sighed and looked to the side. "Yeah, maybe. How's he doin', anyways?"

"Alright, I think. You leaving for a run right after I told him he was couch-bound for the next two weeks didn't help, though."

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that. But I had a feelin' I needed ta check this chick out."

Don studied his brother. He knew that it was rare for any of them other than Leo or Master Splinter to get these kinds of "feelings", so he also knew it was important to pay attention to them when they came around. "Did you find out anything?"

"Yer damn right I did." Raph quickly related what he'd discovered, watching his brother's face as he spoke.

"Holy shell…" Don whispered. "This just keeps getting weirder. So now we know she's hurt people before Leo, but not how. And we know whatever she's doing is probably something unique or perhaps even mystical in nature, but not _what_ it is. What on earth did she _do_?" The turtle got lost in thoughts for several minutes before one snapped him back to reality. "Have you told Mikey or Leo or Sensei about this yet?"

"Not yet."

"Well, there's no time like the present, and there's no point in making you retell it to everyone. I'll go get Master Splinter and meet you guys at the couch."

Raph nodded and headed out of the lab. "You got it."

The family was soon gathered, and Raph shared his story for the second time. Splinter's and Leo's faces both reflected disapproval when Raph told about breaking into Iganna's place, but that grievance was quickly forgotten as Raph revealed what he had discovered.

Mikey was the first to break the eerie silence. "Did I mention this lady's creepy?"

"Yeah, Mikey, a couple times," Leo said. His face was grim. "We need more information. We need to know what's up with her. We need-"

"_You_ need to rest, Leonardo," Splinter said. He had been meditating in his room and had just now learned of the condition of Leo's knee. "This is a serious injury, and refusing to allow it the time it needs to heal could cause further and possibly permanent detriment."

Leo sighed. _I hate being laid up_, he grumbled to himself. "Yes, Master Splinter."

"Master Splinter?" Don asked carefully. "Were you able to figure out anything else while you were meditating?"

The old master sighed and shook his head. "No, my son; my attempts are still blocked. However, I continue to sense her presence around Leonardo." Splinter looked to his oldest son. "Leonardo, have you been meditating of late?"

"No, Sensei; I've kind of been focused more on my physical training. I'm sorry."

Splinter accepted the apology with a nod. "Always remember, my son, a ninja must train both the body _and_ the mind to reach his full potential."

"Yes, Master Splinter."

"Would you please begin to meditate now, Leonardo?"

All four turtles were confused. Leo glanced at his brothers, then back at his teacher. "Now, Sensei? But why?"

"Because I believe that it is the only way for us to discover more about Miss Triolini. I cannot find anything, but since you hold some kind of connection with her, you may be able to find answers through your meditation."

"Oh. Alright." Leo folded his left leg up onto the couch, leaving his injured right leg extended in front of him, and rested his hands on his thighs. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, then exhaled slowly. He quickly sank into a deep state of meditation.

Splinter assumed a meditative position himself, then addressed his other sons. "Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, I wish for you to remain alert and watch your brother. I will be going into meditation as well in order to connect with Leonardo."

"Don't worry, Sensei, we'll watch him," Mikey assured.

(A/N: Just so it's clear, from now on, when all the text is in _italics_, they are in the astral/spiritual plane. Then when it goes back to all normal text, and there are _italics_, those are thoughts. I just wanted to clear that up. ;;)

_Splinter opened his eyes to look upon what might seem unusual to others: the astral plane. And yet the old master had visited this realm so many times that it was almost as familiar to him as its physical counterpart. Countless illuminated doors dotted the plane, each one representing someone's path to the spiritual plane. He looked around and quickly spotted his son. Leo's astral self was a mirror image of his physical side, but unlike the physical realm, this plane revealed his inner strength. Leo's appearance on this plane radiated light, reflecting the strength of his character, will, and spirit. And yet…Splinter narrowed his eyes. Lurking around the edges of his son's glow was the dark shadow he had come to associate with the new woman that had come into their lives. He approached his son._

"_How do you feel, Leonardo?"_

"_I feel fine, Master Splinter, other than a weird feeling I keep getting."_

_Splinter focused on Leo sharply. "What kind of feeling?"_

_Leo rubbed the back of his head, his discomfort obvious. "I feel like someone's watching me, and like something's about to happen."_

"_I see. Stay on your guard, Leonardo." At Leo's nod, Splinter moved on. "Now then, let us begin. You feel Miss Triolini's presence surrounding your own, do you not?"_

"_Yes, Sensei."_

"_Good. Focus on it; seek to have part of your astral self vibrate in tune with hers; if we can establish such a connection, we may be able to discover what she intends."_

"_I'll try."_

_Leo closed his eyes to help him concentrate. He carefully tested the shadow of Iganna's aura that lingered around his own, and memorized the feel of it. Searching around him, he caught sight of a thick thread attached to his astral self; its appearance was hazy, but still visible nonetheless. It carried the feel of Iganna. _So this is her connection to me,_ Leo thought. He then sent out his senses, spreading his awareness out from his body on the physical plane as he sought to follow the thread. His consciousness flowed past his brothers, highlighting their spirits as well as Splinter's. It continued around their home, filling the Lair, and then began to flood into the surrounding sewers. As soon as the boundary of his awareness passed the door of the Lair, the thread came to an abrupt end, and an alien vibration struck his senses and sent him reeling._

_Splinter saw his son's eyes fly open as the turtle staggered. "Leonardo! What happened?"_

"_Master Splinter, it's Iganna, she's here! She's outside the Lair! She-" Leo broke off, grabbing his head in his hands. "Ahhh! Master Splinter, she's-she's in my mind! She's trying to—get the combination for the door to the Lair!"_

"_Leonardo, you must fight her! You have just as much of a hold in this plane as she does. I will help you-"_

_No sooner had Splinter uttered those words than a force blew into him, knocking him out of the astral plane and back into his body…_

Raph, Don and Mikey had been watching their brother and master for the past couple of minutes, when Leo had unexpectedly grabbed his head. They were all shocked to then see Splinter suddenly rock backwards as though someone had struck him.

"Master Splinter!" Don rushed to his side. "What happened!"

"That woman is attacking us! She is outside the Lair! Ready yourselves!"

While the three younger turtles tried to process this information, Splinter rushed to Leo's side.

"Leonardo, concentrate on my voice. You must come out of yourself."

Leo's body was shaking as he answered, managing to speak from the astral plane. "Master Splinter, I can't…she's-"

Blood suddenly began to leak out of Leo's nose, and he cried out again. He then spoke again, his tone telling of a struggle. "Five—s-seven—two—no! You can't make me—!" His brothers watched helplessly as Leo's body bucked, then subsided as he was overcome. "Five, seven, two…eight."

Upon speaking the last number, Leo's eyes flew open and he gasped. Mikey ran to him, offering a damp washcloth to clear his face off with. Leo shook as he wiped the blood of his face, then struggled to his feet.

"She's here. We have to get ready…"

"Leo!" Don was at his side in an instant, pushing him gently back down onto the couch. "We're ready, we'll be fine. What the shell happened in there?"

Leo was breathing heavily, anger clearly written in the lines on his face. "Master Splinter and I tried to find her through meditation to see what she had planned, but she caught me by surprise. She got the code to the door."

"What, ya mean she's right outside!" Raph asked, hands on his sai.

"No. 'She' is right _in_side," a voice said smoothly.

Five heads whipped around to face the entry of the Lair. The door was open, and Iganna was framed in the doorway.

Raph snarled, his weapons leaping to his hands. "_You_. Get tha shell out of our home."

"Why should I?" Iganna asked, a calm look on her face. "You intruded into _my_ home and even went through my belongings. I am merely returning the favor. And besides, your brother invited me," she remarked, gesturing casually towards Leo.

Leo's face was filled with anger as he gained his feet with the help of his crutches. "I _never_ invited you here! You invaded my mind and forced me to give you the code to our home."

"But my presence here is because of you nonetheless, is it not?"

Raph glanced at his brother. He could easily see the guilt creeping onto Leo's features, could see his brother blaming himself. He sighed; he would never understand why Leo was always so quick to think that everything that went wrong was somehow his fault. "Leo, don't blame yerself. She messed with yer mind." He glared at Iganna. "Get outta our home, ya witch."

The name seemed to cause something in her to snap. "You are hardly in the position to be making demands," she hissed, all pretenses falling away. "I could have all five of you _freaks_ strapped down in labs by tomorrow if I wanted to."

"It looks like yer nuts _and_ stupid. Yer outnumbered five ta one, lady," Raph pointed out, smirking, before his face darkened dangerously. "An' I don't take threats against my family very well."

"Then do something about it."

Raph grinned darkly at the challenge. "With pleasure."

"Wait, Raph." Don stopped his brother with a hand across his plastron. Once he was sure his brother would stay put, the brainy turtle turned to Iganna. "How did you get here? No one should be able to find the Lair."

"Like I told you, it's because of your brother," Iganna said, pointing at Leo. "My connection with him led me right to this little freak convention."

Don studied the woman, a confused look on his face. "What happened to you?"

"You mean, what changed about me?" Iganna asked.

"Yes. Before you were so…"

"'Nice'?" She sneered, disdain dripping off of the word. "Kind, polite, friendly?"

"Yes. Why the sudden change?"

Iganna snorted. "And I thought you were supposed to be the smart turtle. There was no change, just the dropping of an act. One that you freaks fell for _so_ easily." She looked around at them. "Although you aren't the only ones."

"What do you mean?" Mikey asked.

"People are gullible. First impressions mean a lot, and people rarely see beyond them. No one ever suspects such a compassionate, polite young woman to be anything other than what she seems. And I use that to get what I want."

"You mean you use it to hurt people," Don said. His face was a study in dislike.

"What?"

"You trick people and hurt them. Like you did in Torli, and in Maine."

Iganna's eyes were angry and frightened. "How…how do you know about that?"

Don shrugged, his stance casual. "It's nothing an in-depth computer search couldn't turn up. Just like the rest of your past: Iganna Triolini, born in Torli, Italy in 1984. Your mother was a doctor, your father left when you were eighteen. Then your mother died a month later. Then all those people in your town died, all of who were somehow connected to you. You moved to Maine, where you were suspiciously close to more deaths, and then came here, to New York…looking for your father, am I right?"

All the room's occupants stared at the turtle in disbelief. Even Don's family was shocked; his deductions about Iganna's motive for coming to New York hadn't occurred to them, but they made perfect sense. And judging by Iganna's pale face, it was correct.

"How did you…you couldn't have known about that." The woman's face tightened, her voice shaking as she spoke. "You read my father's letter…but how…?"

"Did I know that's why you came to this state? Speculation. Though most of it fit together on its own; your mother died and you were all alone at eighteen with no family. It'd only make sense for you to look for the only parent you had left, even if you were upset with them. Though I have a sinking feeling you didn't come here for a family reunion." Don focused his gaze on her eyes, his voice suddenly changing in cadence and pitch; all of a sudden, the turtle sounded like he was chanting. "You came for answers. You came for your past. You came because of your mother. Isn't that right?"

Fear and a strange vulnerability crept onto Iganna's face. "Yes…"

Don continued speaking, his voice rising and falling, lilting and hypnotic. "He left because he was frightened. He left because he had no choice. He left because of you."

"No…" She shook her head, Don's words consuming her mind. "Not because of me…"

Splinter watched his son with careful eyes, pride and appreciation rising from their depths. It took a great deal of skill to perform the feat Donatello was: his son was snaring this woman's mind with the power of his own, a form of hypnosis. His son's quick mind was piecing together the information they had gathered from Iganna's past, and his empathetic nature was attaching emotions; and from the look of things, his enchantment was working. Iganna's entire frame spoke of uncertainty, the accurateness of Don's words striking her to the core. _The dark parts of this woman's past must be more painful than they appear for Donatello's words to affect her so_, Splinter thought. Don was catching her off guard, taking advantage of her surprise to keep her defenses down. Gone was the arrogant confidence she had been radiating; now she seemed completely oblivious to anything but Don, her eyes locked on his as he continued to speak.

"It broke your mother's heart…she lost her husband, her love. He would have stayed had it not been for you. It hurt her so much…"

"Mama," Iganna whimpered. "I'm sorry…"

"He didn't want to leave, but you pushed him away. He left because of you, Iganna. What did you do?"

His words seemed to unhinge her. Her control crumbled and she stared at something no one else could see, lost in her memories.

"It wasn't my fault. He shouldn't have left us…left me and Mama. I never asked for this …" Her face was etched with pain, anger, and remembrance. "He was supposed to love me."

Leo, Raph and Mikey were stunned. None of them had ever done, let alone seen or heard of what Don was now doing, and yet he was succeeding at drawing out Iganna's memories. They hardly dared to breathe for fear of breaking the spell.

Don, for his part, was nearly as surprised; he couldn't believe what he was doing, let alone that it was possible to create and maintain such a connection. He wasn't sure how he started doing this, but it felt almost natural. He listed the facts that he knew and as he watched Iganna's reactions, he began to piece together more of it; in a way, he was trying to solve the mystery of Iganna's past out loud for himself. The words were pouring out of him, the feelings all making sense as he tried to recreate Iganna's past.

"It hurt, didn't it?" Don continued. "Your father's absence, finding him gone. It was fine for one day; after all, you were mad at him anyways. But then each day passed, and he never came back. Your mother never blamed you, but you knew it was your fault."

"No! It …" she broke off, staring at the floor as anger slowly took control of her features. "_They_ all thought it was my fault, too. But he shouldn't have left. It made me so angry…_he shouldn't have left!_"

Iganna's anger snapped the control that Don had on her, sending them both reeling. Her eyes lost the dazed look and cleared instantly. She glared at him, rage and fear on her face. "Stay out of my mind, you freak! My past is none of your concern!"

Don stood his ground, Mikey and Raph standing behind him providing silent support. "Yes, it is. You came after my family; that _makes_ it my concern."

The woman's face still spoke of anger and pain. "_Family_. Why is family thought to be so important? Why should your family be whole while mine is broken?" Her eyes narrowed. "Now that I think of it, it _shouldn't_ be. It's not fair. Maybe I should make your father leave, too…in a more permanent fashion."

"Try it and die." Raph's words were a rumble of anger in his chest.

"You seriously think you can stop me? The old rat is likely no challenge, nor will the rest of you be. And then there's dear Leonardo…we all know he's useless with that dislocated knee…"

"What?" Leo's voice was disbelieving. "How did you know I dislocated my knee?"

Iganna ignored his question. "It hurt, didn't it? Probably still does. It happened around nine o'clock tonight, right?"

"How did you know about that?" Leo asked.

Iganna's only answer was a mocking smile.

Raph's eyes narrowed. "I knew you were th'one causin' all of this. Leo's dream, his leg…all of this is yer fault."

"Congratulations, Raphael, you figured it out. But you still don't know how, do you?" She drew a dagger from a hidden sheath at her back. "Well then, I'll be happy to show you!"

She leapt forward, the dagger pulled back and ready. Raph moved almost in a blur, darting forward to meet her. Before she could blink, he was behind her, restraining her with a sai to her throat, and locking her arms against her sides with his other arm.

He lowered his mouth to her ear, his deadly growl almost too quiet for Iganna to make out the words. "I warned you 'bout threatenin' my family."

"Too bad you can't do anything about it." With those words, Iganna threw her head back, cracking her skull into Raph's face.

"Gah!" Raph shoved the woman away from him, blinking rapidly to try and clear his furiously watering eyes. He swiped in front of him with his sai to keep Iganna at a distance. As soon as he could see again, his gaze burned into the woman in front of him. "Yer gonna pay fer that." He lunged at her for the second time, teeth bared. By the time he reached her, a second dagger was waiting in her other hand and a mocking smile was on her lips. The two fighters clashed, sparks flying off of their weapons. Raph was surprised: she was actually a fairly decent opponent. However, her fighting style was quite different from a ninja's; it had the feel of someone who was only used to quick skirmishes with a handful of unskilled enemies. After a minute, Raph felt his scowl melting into a confident smirk; he could easily take her. She was good for a human, for someone whose life wasn't based on fighting, but she wasn't even close to the caliber he and his brothers had reached. A lifetime of training, combined with years of fighting against large groups and highly skilled individuals had honed their skills to great levels; but this woman felt like she only had a few years of experience, and that just against a handful of adversaries. She was no match in a one-on-one fight with someone like Raph or his brothers, nor was she up to a fight against heavy odds. _'Till you've tangled with thirty Foot and kicked their shells, ya ain't nothin' special_, Raph thought.

He decided a little payback was in order, especially after what this woman had done to his family. _I may not know what tha shell she's doin', but that don't mean she don't deserve ta get whipped._ He began to increase the amount of skill he used, striking faster and harder. He teased her, with a small slice on her arm, a strike from the butt end of his sai, knocking her off-balance with a punch or kick. However, despite being severely outclassed, she kept the same mocking smile. Raph's temper flared at the sight of it. _What the shell is she grinnin' about? She's gettin' her butt handed to her. Enough of this, it's time ta finish her off an' get her the shell outta our home_. Attacking from the front, Raph drove both his sai towards her face, forcing her to block, and once her efforts left her abdomen unprotected he pivoted on one foot and drove a powerful side kick into her stomach. She flew across the room with a satisfying grunt, and Raph sheathed his sai in his belt.

"Ya can't say I didn't warn ya," he drawled, smirking.

Iganna sat where she had landed, her face turned to the floor, hair hanging in her face. The turtles could hear her panting heavily, trying to regain her breath after the fight. But then the oddest thing happened…her labored breathing turned into laughter.

"Um, Raph?" Mikey piped up. "I think you kicked her a little too hard, bro. It sounds like you knocked something loose."

Iganna finally looked up, her face red and flushed, the smug smile still firmly in place. "You all are such fools. You have absolutely no idea who you're dealing with."

Raph's face was still dark with suspicion, but he wore a similar smirk too. "Yeah, well, whoever we're "dealin' with", ya ain't much of a threat in a fight." That stopped Iganna's laughter. Her eyes narrowed and she glared at Raph. "What, did I hit a nerve? Hate ta break it to ya, babe, but it's tha truth." His tone was mocking. "Shell, Leo prob'ly coulda taken ya, no problem."

Don raised an eye ridge at his brother. "And how exactly did you expect Leo to fight? He's got a dislocated knee. What was he supposed to do, whack her with his crutches?"

"Hey, those things really do hurt," Mikey protested. "Raph hit me with those when he sprained his ankle last year and I had a bruise for two weeks!"

"My sons." Splinter's voice cut through the odd conversation, a reprimand and a warning clear in his tone. As soon as the four fell silent, he turned back to Iganna, his face dark with anger. "You are not welcome in our home."

Iganna scoffed. "Trust me; I have no desire to linger in your…"home"." She looked around the Lair, distaste clearly written on her face. "I'm just here to check on my property."

"What the shell d'you mean, yer "property"?" Raph asked. "We ain't go nothin' of yers."

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, Raphael. You _do_ have something of mine." Iganna pointed at Leo. "Him."

"Leo? Damn, ya really are nuts, ain'tcha? You don't own Leo."

"Guess again, freak. He is _mine_. His fate is up to me; I decide whether he lives or dies."

Raph narrowed his eyes. "Ya know, yer really startin' ta piss me off, lady. I ain't gonna tell ya again. Get out."

"You still don't believe me?" Iganna chuckled as she got to her feet. "That's fine. I suppose I'll just have to prove it to you." She palmed a dagger as she slowly approached Leo.

"Back off." Raph stepped in front of Leo, Mikey and Don falling in behind him. When she continued towards them, Raph snarled and drew his sai. "I said _back off!_"

Iganna only smiled as she kept walking up to the turtles. All four of them tensed, unsure of what to expect. Then, just as she was in front of Raph, she swiped at him with her dagger.

Raph blocked the attack with hardly a thought and countered with his own. It wasn't a heavy attack, just enough to brush her back, and Raph fully expected her to be able to block. However, he didn't expect what she actually did. Iganna stepped forward to meet the attack, and Raph's sai scored a slice in her left arm.

"Are you nuts!" Raph's outburst voiced what they were all thinking.

Iganna, however, ignored him. She lifted the hem of her sleeve, inspecting the cut, then smiled. "This will do nicely." Glancing up at her shocked audience, she continued. "You want to see what it is that I do, so I'll show you." With that, Iganna reached her right hand up and covered the cut on her arm.

"Ah!" Leo immediately mirrored Iganna's movement, grabbing his left arm as well.

"Leo!" Don snatched Leo's hand, pulling it away from his arm to reveal his blood-covered bicep. And on his arm was an injury exactly identical to Iganna's. Don turned to her. "What the shell…?"

Iganna smirked at him, lifting her hand to reveal the smooth, unmarred skin on her arm. "What do I do? I retaliate. Any injury I sustain, any harm that comes to me, I can turn on to someone else."

"But how?" Don demanded, his face a study in disbelief and confusion. "That's not scientifically possible."

"That's rich, coming from a giant, sentient, mutated freak," Iganna retorted. "As for how I do it, all it takes is a touch of my hand."

"A touch of…" A look of dawning realization crossed Don's face. "That's why you shook Leo's hand in the alley that night…

"Exactly. I needed someone in case I got shot again. Although, thanks to Leonardo getting in the way, I didn't need him."

"The bullet that hit Leo wasn't meant for him…" Don mused slowly. "They were shooting at you?"

"Yes. I had been asking questions they didn't like. I almost wish they had missed him; that way I could have given him the wound I had. But since he got shot, I didn't want to waste a perfectly good tool by giving him too many wounds and killing him."

"My brother is not a tool!" Mikey shouted.

"Guess again, freak," Iganna sneered. Anyone I make a connection with is little more than my safety net. And that includes your brother."

"So that's how you did it." Don's eyes narrowed. "All those deaths that no one could explain…you _used_ those people…you killed them."

"I protected myself! _They_ attacked _me_. It was their fault, not mine."

"Yeah, sure," Raph scoffed. "An' I'm the Tooth Fairy. Ya think if ya keep tellin' yerself that it'll be true someday?"

Iganna glared at him, but Don interrupted before she could say anything. "What happened in your hometown? I find it hard to believe that people you had grown up with would attack you."

"They didn't; at least, not physically. I attacked them."

"Thought so," Raph grumbled under his breath.

Don silenced his brother with a glare. "What happened?"

Iganna slowly looked down at her hands, her fingers moving restlessly as she began to talk. "My mother was a doctor, and she ran a small practice in our town; nothing big, she mostly did house calls for colds and small injuries. She was a wonderful person; kind, caring, always willing to lend others a hand. Everyone loved her." Her face darkened. "At least, they loved her until they found out about her."

"Found out what?" Mikey asked carefully.

"My mother had the same powers that I do, and she used hers in her medical work to help heal people. Our right hands can give things, such as injuries, and our left hands can take things from others, be it wounds or energy. She would only use her powers if someone was very sick or badly wounded, and would take part of their injuries to help them. She was very careful and tried to make me be careful too. But all her caution lost to her heart. One day a boy in our town got in a bad accident and was in critical shape. My mother immediately attended to him, but discovered that she'd have to take some of his injuries in order to save his life; so she did. But the boy's aunt ran into the room then and saw what my mother did. She didn't even think about the sacrifice my mother was making, she just grabbed the boy and took off, screaming that my mother was a witch. Everything fell apart after that. Most of the town ostracized us, talking about my mother and spreading rumors. Only a few people still stuck with my mother. I don't think that even half the town believed what the boy's aunt was saying, but they still shunned us, even after all she had done for them! She had tended them when they were sick, healed them when they were hurt, even saved their lives at the risk of her own! And they turned their backs on her." Iganna paused, visibly trying to collect herself. Her hands were shaking, clenched into fists so tightly that her knuckles were white.

"Is that when you left home?" Don asked softly.

Iganna shook her head. "No. I left about a month later. My mother lived for helping people, and now that no one wanted her help she was devastated. That, combined with the injuries she had taken from the boy in the accident, sent her health into a decline. I got so angry then. I knew that boy, knew that he had recovered and was fine, thanks to my mother. But now _she_ was confined to bed because of _him_, and he had never even thanked her. So I went after him and picked a fight. Almost everything I got from him I gave right back, but not all of it; I tried to be careful like my mother had taught me. That was what made my father leave. I got into a lot of fights when I was younger, and I often used my powers so that my opponents got the worst of the fight every time. My father always yelled at me for this, telling me to either use my powers like my mother or not at all." Iganna's eyes narrowed. "I yelled right back. I told him that they were _my_ powers and that I would use them as I wished. My mother tried to make me listen as well, and I'd try to obey her, but I felt too cooped up in that small town; sooner or later, I'd be out picking another fight. But when I went after that boy, so soon after what had happened to my mother, it was the last straw for my father."

"That's when he wrote that letter," Don interjected, continuing to piece together the mystery of Iganna's past. "That's when he left."

Iganna nodded and continued, anger written in every line of her face. "He said that I was out of control and that he couldn't bear to watch me hurt people any longer. I screamed back at him, saying that if he cared so much about people getting hurt, why didn't he stop the people in town from being mean to his wife? He said that was "different", said that we "couldn't expect people to accept us so easily". I was so angry with him. We had never had a wonderful relationship, but things weren't terrible between us. But I was sick of him then. My next and last words to him were "I suppose I shouldn't expect others to accept me when my own father won't". The next day he was gone, and that was it. Mama fell apart after that. I tried to be there for her and help her, but I could only do so much; and apparently I couldn't fill my father's place in her heart. I came home from the field one day, and she was gone. Dead. I knew I should have been devastated, and part of me was, but mainly I was just so _angry_. My mother was everything to me and now she was gone, just because she wanted to help people. And the people she had helped didn't even care. The funeral rolled around, and I naively expected everyone who had mistreated us to show up, finally ashamed of what they had done." Her face was dark as thunder. "_Ten people_ came to her funeral. Ten, that's _it_! I lost it after that. My mother had lived and died to help the people in our town, and they just turned their backs on her. I went after them then, everyone who had betrayed my mother, and I made them pay for it."

"You killed all those people?" Leo had been silent until now, but he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Just because they didn't accept you? All you did was make things worse. You didn't even try to change their perception of you."

Iganna barely glanced at him. "You wouldn't understand-"

"We wouldn't _understand_!" Raph asked, outraged. "Get over yerself! Look at us; we're more different from humans than you could ever be. If ya had kept yer powers a secret an' didn't go around killin' people, you could live yer entire life without anyone knowing about ya. We ain't got that choice. Even after we've saved people's lives, they've still been afraid of us, but ya don't see us goin' around killin' 'em."

Don put a restraining hand on his brother's arm. "Raph-"

"No!" Raph jerked his arm out of his brother's grasp. "She's tryin' ta justify the crap she's been pullin', an' I ain't havin' _none_ of it!" He turned back to Iganna. "Yer lookin' fer an excuse when the truth is you ain't got no good reason fer what yer doin'."

"You can't talk to me like that!"

"Watch me."

"Raphael." Splinter stepped forward, placing a hand on Raph's arm, which had been inching towards his sai. Raph tensed, and the old rat tightened his grip. "That is enough." He captured Raph's eyes with his own, sending calmness and reassurance through his gaze. Fifteen years of living together had given all five mutants the ability to read each other on a nearly psychic level, and Splinter used that now to restrain his son. Splinter's eyes flickered quickly to Leo, then back to Raph, giving his son a clear warning: _control your anger, my son; this woman is still a threat to your brother_.

Raph glanced over at Leo, then sighed. He relaxed his muscles and Splinter released his wrist. Raph folded his arms over his chest, still glaring at Iganna, and his posture sent a clear response back to his teacher: _a'right, Sensei, but I don't like it_.

The wry look in Splinter's eyes spoke volumes. _None of us do. But remain patient; we _will_ fix this_. Once he was sure that Raph had his temper back under control, he turned to face Iganna. "Please continue."

Iganna had not missed the exchange. Her eyes were narrowed as she glanced between Splinter and the turtles, but she nodded and resumed her tale.

"After that I followed in my father's footsteps; I packed my bags, left for America, and never looked back. I came to Maine first and searched for news about my father, but I came up empty every time. One of the people I…questioned belonged to a gang. They decided that they didn't like my method of investigation and came after me."

A light clicked on in Don's eyes as everything fell into place. "That's the other group of deaths that the police couldn't explain," the brainy turtle finished. "The ones they called "suicide murders". That was you. You went to them looking for information, got into a fight, and hurt one of their gang members. And then the gang came after you, and you returned every injury you got."

"Yes. After that I had to leave again; the episode had caused too much publicity, so I came to New York. I've been here ever since, but I still haven't found anything about my father."

Raph was gritting his teeth. He had always slightly resented the people of New York for their lack of gratitude as he and his brothers tried to keep them safe and clean up the city. But despite that, he was still protective of the city and its inhabitants; people that caused trouble in his town invariably pissed him off. _Buncha ingrates or not, this is _our_ town an' they're _our_ people. Anyone that comes in here pickin' fights answers to _us_; namely me._ "An' ya've still been goin' at it the same way," Raph sneered, watching intently as Iganna moved for her daggers; if she wanted to start another fight, he'd be happy to oblige.

"Why not just use the library?" Don interjected. He gave a quiet sigh of relief when Iganna turned towards him, moving her attention from Raph; he too had seen Iganna going for her weapons, and Don knew that the best thing to do now was keep Iganna calm. They didn't know what else she could or would do, which meant Leo was still in danger. "They have newspaper articles there, as well as residency and obituary records; it would have been easy for you to check and see where your father was."

"Because newspapers and reports can lie," Iganna replied. "The article that covered the deaths in my town claimed that there was an attack by a gang from another town. It's better to get information from people who have really seen what happened."

"But people can lie too." Mikey's voice was low, a hint of anger vibrating through it. "I mean after all, you lied, didn't you?"

Iganna glared at the orange-banded turtle. "Yes, people can lie too; but they are easily convinced to tell the truth when their lives are at stake."

"So ya torture information outta people that might not even know anything?" Raph shook his head in disgust. "Yer just a nice person all around, ain'tcha?"

"Don't you dare presume that you understand my life! You have no idea what I've been through, and you have no right to judge me!"

"That's right; jus' keep playin' the damsel in distress! I _know_ what yer life is like, lady, 'cause I've been livin' one like it fer years. An' seein' as how you an' yer boatload o'problems came intrudin' inta _our_ home an' messed with _my_ brother, I got every right ta judge ya."

The woman's face turned dark and angry as she unsheathed one of her daggers. "You know, Leonardo, I don't think your family loves you very much. They seem quite willing to get you killed." In the next instant, she whipped the dagger toward her side, slicing a deep, long gash into the skin there, and a strangled cry forced its way past her lips. The turtles and Master Splinter were frozen in shock, and before anyone could move, she placed her right hand over her side.

A choked yell ripped its way out of Leo's throat as a gash tore its way into being on his side. His crutches clattered to the floor as he grabbed his side, hunching over and shaking from the pain. Without the extra support his right knee buckled, sending Leo to the floor. Only Mikey's quick reflexes kept Leo from landing on his bad knee.

Iganna's face was impassive. "I told you to keep your mouths shut."

"Leo! Leo, are you alright!" Mikey's tone was desperate as he struggled to support his older brother.

"'Course he ain't alright, shell-fer-brains!" Raph snapped, grabbing Leo's other side and helping him to the floor. As soon as his brother was situated, Raph snatched his sai from his belt, pointing them at Iganna. "And in a couple seconds, this broad ain't gonna be alright either!"

"Raphael." Splinter's soft voice commanded his son's attention, halting him just before he lunged for Iganna. The ninja master's words were just loud enough for Raph to hear. "Distract her, but _do not_ harm her; remember that any injury you deal her will be transferred to Leonardo. Keep her busy for as long as you can; I must sever the connection she has with your brother."

"You got it, Master Splintah." Raph darted forward and circled around Iganna, staying just out of reach, making her angry while Splinter backed away slowly and began to meditate, seeking the astral plane. _I can't attack her,_ _'cause then she'll just end up usin' that ta hurt Leo. "Distract her"? Dunno how well that'll work, but it's worth a shot._ Raph began to lunge at Iganna, but he projected his moves faintly and pulled his hits slightly so that she just barely escaped each time.

Don and Mikey worked quickly to take care of Leo. "Mikey, run to the bathroom for me," Don ordered, his tone brisk as he applied pressure to Leo's side. "Get my medical kit, and grab a bottle of morphine out of the cabinet."

"You got it, bro. Just hang in there, Leo." Mikey squeezed his brother's hand then darted off to the bathroom.

The brainy turtle continued talking to Leo, falling easily into what his brothers called "doctor mode". "This cut is going to need stitches, Leo; you up for it?"

"I'll manage." The blue-clad turtle was pale, blood loss and pain leeching the color from his face. "How bad is it?"

Don lifted his hands quickly to peer at the wound, then resumed his efforts. "It's not great, but you've had worse."

"I've got your stuff, Donnie." Mikey skidded to a halt beside his brothers, shoving the requested items at Don. "And I brought some towels."

"Good thinking, Mikey," Don approved. "Give Leo a couple of the morphine pills and then I'm going to need you to help me stitch him up." Don's calm, businesslike manner soothed his younger brother's nerves, and the ordeal was soon finished. Don remained by Leo's side while Mikey stood guard over them, nunchuku in hand and eyes focused as he watched Raph and Iganna fight.

Raph's plan had worked for a while; Iganna became out of breath, slowing down a little. But when Raph continued to just barely miss her, she seemed to guess what was going on.

"It won't work, you know," she said, her tone as casual as if they were discussing the weather. "It's useless to try to tire me out like this. As long as I have your brother, I've got as much energy as I need."

Raph growled and glanced over his shoulder at Leo. His brother was propped against the couch, his skin dotted with bruises and cuts, and Raph winced to think that he had caused them, even if it was unintentional. Leo's hand was over the dagger wound in his side, applying pressure; it was still bleeding, even after Don had bandaged it. He was pale and pain had etched hard lines into his face, but he managed a weak grin when he saw Raph watching him. The red-banded turtle turned back to Iganna. "You leave him outta this. Fight yer battles on yer own fer once."

"Fight on my own?" Iganna's face took on a thoughtful look, then reclaimed its sneer. "No, I don't think I will." With that, she clapped her left hand over her heart, and a weak choking noise from behind him whipped Raph around again. Leo had stiffened, then sagged back against the couch. Raph thought he could almost see the energy bleeding out of his brother like water from a torn bag. Iganna removed her hand, a heady flush in her cheeks, and Leo fell to the side.

"Leo!" Don grabbed his older brother, propping him up into a sitting position.

The injured turtle's eyes were shut tightly as he panted heavily, struggling to keep himself upright with shaky arms. "Shell…that wasn't fun…" Blood began to once more stain the bandages on his side in the absence of pressure on the wound.

Don quickly replaced Leo's hands with his own before glancing up. "Raph, finish this! Now! I don't know how much more of this Leo can take!"

"He ain't gonna have ta take _any_ more of it," Raph snarled. He turned and ran straight at Iganna. _It's time fer a change of tactics_, he thought. _Master Splintah's way ain't cuttin' it, so we're gonna do this _my_ way._ Raph sheathed his sai as he neared his target. Iganna had hesitated in her surprise, not expecting a direct attack, and Raph made the most of the opportunity:

He hauled off and punched Iganna right in the face.

To his extreme satisfaction, she dropped like a brick with a muffled yell; and Raph wasn't far behind. He landed on her back in a mock body slam, quickly trapping her legs with his own and pinning her arms to the floor by her wrists. She struggled and swore through a bloody nose, but Raph far outweighed her.

Don blinked, surprised. "Well, that works. Unorthodox, perhaps, but effective."

"Yeah, well, ya wanted results, ya got 'em," Raph grunted. "And besides, I-ow! Dammit!" While he was talking, Iganna had worked a leg free and kicked him in the rear. "Mikey, get yer ass over here an' sit on her legs, would ya?"

"Sure." Mikey quickly joined his brother and plopped down on the captive woman's legs.

"Ow! How much do you freaks weigh!" Iganna demanded.

"Not too much," Raph answered. "'Cept fer Mikey; too much pizza and too many dumb cartoon shows will do that. Now shut up or I'll have 'im sit on yer head."

"I swear I'll see all of you dead," the woman snarled. "You _will_ pay for this. I'll…I'll…no! Get away from there, he's mine!" Her voice changed suddenly as she began talking to an audience no one could see. She growled and suddenly went limp, her eyes staring straight ahead blankly.

The turtles were shocked. "What happened?" Mikey asked.

"I think Master Splintah found her," Raph replied.

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(Remember, text in all italics means that they're in/on the astral plane! )

_Splinter knelt calmly by Leo's spirit door. He had made his way to the astral plane and found his son's entrance to this plane. Each person had a door, a spiritual entrance to the astral plane. People who were close to one another, or whose fates were intertwined, had doors that were by each other. As soon as Splinter emerged from his, he had found his sons', and he knew that Iganna's must be nearby. Since then he had been guarding Leo's doorway as he prepared himself to detach Leo from Iganna's hold. Splinter kept his senses alert; he expected Iganna to discover his presence soon. As he thought, she passed through her portal moments later, eyes wild as she sought for him. As soon as she saw him, her eyes narrowed._

"_**You**. Get away from there, he's mine!"_

"_You are sorely mistaken, Miss Triolini. Leonardo is not an object to be owned, he is his own person. But were either of us to have a claim on him, it would not be you." Splinter stood slowly. "He is my son, and I am duty-bound to protect him. I am here to destroy your hold on him."_

"_You're forgetting, rat," Iganna snapped, "that I hold his fate quite literally in my hands. You just had to go and pick this fight; big mistake. I was quite content to just keep Leonardo in reserve in case I needed him, but you and those interfering freaks are ruining everything. I'm warning you now, it will be better for all of you if you just stay out of my way."_

_Splinter's eyes narrowed at the threat. "You presume much; my sons rescue you, save your life, and in return you attack my eldest. And now, you admit to your crimes and do not expect retribution? You have done too much to go unpunished."_

"_You aren't fit to judge me, rodent!"_

"_And why not? I too have a family; I am a father, and I know better than you how much family can mean. I too know the desire to protect those close to you, but _never_ have I struck at one who has not struck first, either at me or my sons. You cannot say the same."_

"_I'm through talking to dumb animals," Iganna spat. She pulled out the astral forms of her daggers. "I'll get you out of my business one way or another." She leapt at him, only to miss; Splinter calmly dodged to the side, moving fast enough to be only a blur. Iganna repeated the attack, with the same results. She continued to lunge at him but he avoided her assault every time. Her eyes soon began to take on a frightened look as Splinter began to go on the offensive; she could tell she was outclassed. In a desperate move, she lunged at him with both daggers, and he quickly brought his walking stick up to block the blades. The metal sank into the wood, and the two opponents struggled over their weapons. Splinter looked up and held Iganna's gaze._

"_I would apologize, Miss Triolini, but you have brought this upon yourself." With that, Splinter quickly reached into his robe with one hand and pulled out a short tanto blade. He swiped it at Iganna, leaving the air singing from the weapon's passage. A scream rang through the astral plane as the tanto found its target._

_In the next instant, Iganna found herself with no hands._

"_You cut off my hands!" She shrieked, her eyes wild as she stared at her arms, which now ended at the wrist. "How could you do that!"_

"_Because you raised those hands against my son," Splinter replied. He calmly returned his blade to its sheath. His face was composed, his eyes holding no sign of remorse as he watched Iganna stare at the wrists that no longer had hands. "For one who gives neither pity nor mercy, you are very quick to expect both from others."_

"_You-!" Iganna's voice strangled in her throat. Her eyes widened further as the space around her began to waver. The air bent and shivered, and two new hands, identical to the ones she had just lost, formed on her wrists. "H-how…?"_

"_Though you may indeed be experienced in matters of the astral plane, you still have much to learn," Splinter said. "Your "body" on this plane is both real and unreal; what happens here both can and cannot affect your physical body on the living plane. You know this; that is how you maintained your connection to Leonardo. For most beings, their presence on this plane is a manifest form of their spirit. But since you possessed unnatural abilities, those abilities made up the outer part of your astral self. As such, now that those abilities are removed, your astral self is now composed only of your spirit."_

"_What do you mean, I "possessed" unnatural abilities?"_

_Splinter eyed her coolly. "Can you not sense it? Your powers are no more. Your hands were the focal point of your powers; when I removed them, only the mystical part of your spirit died. Had I removed the hands of your astral self, you indeed would have died, both here and in the physical plane. But since I attacked your mystical side, I killed _it_ instead of _you_." _

"_Why didn't you just kill me?" Iganna asked, her voice a riot of emotions. "That would have been better! I'm useless now!"_

_The rat's eyes narrowed in anger. "Though you do not deserve it, I showed you mercy. One would think that you would appreciate it more," he responded as his tail lashed. "As for why, I did not kill you because I did not have to. Watch and you will see why I have acted as I have." As they both looked on, the hands that Splinter had cut off slowly faded out of sight, and as they did so, the shadow of Iganna's influence disappeared from around Leo's astral doorway. Splinter turned back to Iganna. "Your hold is now broken. You are no longer a threat to my son's life, nor do you have any power here." With that, the old master jumped into the air and planted a powerful kick to Iganna's abdomen, sending her flying through her astral doorway and back to her body. Turning around, he then walked through his own portal, returning to the physical plane in a flash._

(Meanwhile, back in the Lair…)

Four very quiet turtles were sitting in a semicircle on the floor about five feet from Iganna. She and Master Splinter had been silent and still for the past ten minutes, so Raph and Mikey had abandoned their job of restraining the woman and had joined their brothers. Right now the four of them were using the time to try and comprehend what had happened. Don was attending Leo, while Mikey glanced nervously between his sensei and the woman on the floor. Raph was punching his fist into his hand, bored out of his mind. He sighed and glanced to his left.

"Hey, Leo, how ya doin'?"

"I'm fine, Raph," Leo replied. He was still breathing heavily and his eyes were tired, but Don had managed to slow and stop the bleeding in his side. "Is Master Splinter back yet?"

"Yes, Leonardo, I am." All four turtles turned to see Splinter rising from his spot on the floor. "And Miss Triolini should be joining us soon as well."

No sooner had Splinter uttered those words than Iganna's eyes snapped open, the woman scrambling to her feet. She swayed slightly, then found her balance and turned to glare at Splinter.

"You ruined everything! He was mine, everything was going perfectly, and _you ruined it_!"

"Get over it, lady," Raph growled. "Ya lost, now beat it."

Iganna snarled at him. "If I go, I'm taking your secret with me. If I can't use you to find my father, I'll sell your secret and your location to someone who _can_ find him."

"That would be a waste." Everyone turned to Don, who slowly stood from Leo's side. Reaching into his wrist guard, he pulled out a folded square of paper, which he tossed at Iganna's feet.

The woman looked at the paper suspiciously before glancing back up. "What is it?"

"An obituary. For a Mr. Mario Triolini."

"No!" Iganna's shriek nearly echoed through the Lair. She scrambled for the paper, almost tearing it open, and began to shake as she read the contents.

Don continued. "Mr. Mario Triolini died seven months ago on August 8th in a car accident in Manhattan. You've been searching for someone you'll never find."

The paper crumpled under the force of Iganna's grip. "No…this can't be…" She slowly lifted her head as the obituary fluttered to the floor. "All of this is your fault…" she whispered, glaring hatefully at the five mutants. "As soon as you came into my life, everything fell apart. All because of _you_…" Iganna's gaze shifted to Leo and her eyes were filled with hate and madness. "I'll kill you!" She pulled her daggers out and lunged for Leo, weapons in front of her as she closed the distance.

Fortunately for Leo, Raph was there in an instant, blocking Iganna's path.

Unfortunately for Iganna, so was the business end of Raph's sai.

Iganna jerked to a halt and shuddered. Her eyes opened wide as she looked down at the weapon protruding from her ribcage, and her daggers fell from her hands. Raising a shaky hand, she grabbed hilt and pulled, dropping the bloody sai to the ground. A strangled cry came from her throat as she staggered backwards to lean against one of the pillars, cradling her chest. Tears formed in her eyes when the wound didn't vanish. She looked at the five silent figures standing before her, then focused her gaze on Raph. "It looks like…we're not so different. We'll both…kill for…our families," she said, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth.

"Guess again," Raph snarled. "I'll kill an' die fer my family any day, any time, but I ain't nothin' like you. I don't kill people fer no reason, an' **_I_** haven't destroyed anyone's family."

"I didn't-"

"Like shell you didn't!" Mikey shouted. Everyone was surprised by the easygoing turtle's outburst. "What about all those people in your hometown? In Maine? And here in New York? Don't you think they had families? 'Cuz they prob'ly did! But no, you were too obsessed about your own to care that you were wrecking someone else's!"

"You couldn't understand!" Iganna rasped. "You've never…lost anyone…in your family!"

"We almost have." Don's voice was level, but an undercurrent of anger could be felt vibrating from his words. "We almost lost Leo before. He may not have died, but that doesn't mean we don't know what that pain feels like. No matter how much you miss your family, that doesn't give you the right to destroy someone else's. Killing someone else's mother won't bring yours back."

"It…I…I didn't…I didn't realize…" A look of horror and regret began to settle on her features as she slowly slid down to the floor. "I was just…so angry…I had no one. I wanted…someone else to feel my pain, too. My mother…her left hand helped people, but hurt me and Papa…so I only used my right hand. I was so tired of pain…I figured it was time to give it instead…it ought to be someone else's turn to suffer…but it didn't help. I couldn't…give my pain away. Why…couldn't I see that? I'm so sorry…"

"Yeah, well it's a little late fer "sorry", ain't it?" Raph drawled.

A fit of coughing racked Iganna's body, blood flying from her mouth with each cough. She stared quietly at the crimson fluid coating her hands. "Yes, I suppose so…" she murmured. She lifted her face to them. "For what it's worth…I _am_ sorry. At least…I didn't break…your family, too…don't ever let each other go…ever…"

"We won't," Don told her firmly. "But if it comes to an end, we won't hold onto ghosts, either."

"That's good…" Another coughing fit hit her, pain clearly seen in her face. Her arms dropped to her sides, and her gaze shifted somewhere beyond the turtles and Splinter. "Mama…?" she whispered, a small smile lighting up her face. "Mama, is that you?" Her eyes fluttered shut. "Mama, Papa…I'm coming…I—" She broke off suddenly, her words dissolving into a scream.

The five mutants were frozen to their spots, unable to believe their eyes. As they watched, countless wounds were sprouting like a rash across Iganna's body; bruises, cuts, and gashes covering nearly every inch of her skin. There was hardly any part of her body that wasn't injured.

Mikey's eyes were nearly leaving their sockets. "Master Splinter, what's going on!"

"I do not know, my son; but I believe that Fate is finally exacting justice."

Blood was pouring out of the dozens of wounds that covered Iganna, forming a large pool around her. Then suddenly, the crimson liquid began to swirl around her body, moving faster and faster until half of it surged up over her body. The blood coalesced into the shape of a hand, while the rest of it continued to swirl and flow underneath Iganna. The hand then began to press down on Iganna, who somehow started to sink into the shallow pool of her own blood and straight through the floor of the Lair. Her eyes were the last part of her to disappear, and though they flashed with terror, acceptance covered them slowly. As her head disappeared beneath the surface, Leo suddenly cried out.

"Guys, help!"

His brothers turned their gazes to him in a heartbeat, their eyes widening at what they saw. Leo was slowly being dragged across the floor, inching closer and closer to the same bloody pool that had swallowed Iganna.

"_Leo!_" Mikey and Don lunged for their brother, each grabbing an arm and digging their heels into the floor. Raph grabbed Leo from behind, straining as he tried to counter the force from the pool of blood. Master Splinter darted in front of his sons, placing himself firmly between them and the whirlpool.

"Away with you," he said firmly, staring hard at the swirling vortex. "You have claimed all whom you need. My son has no connection with that woman, and he is not yours to take. His life is his own; he is tainted by no blood that needs avenged."

The blood slowed in its motion, seeming to consider Splinter's words, then sped up again. Raph, Don and Mikey all fell backwards as the pull on Leo suddenly vanished. The pool of bled gathered speed until it was no more than a blur, then began to collapse on itself. In no more than a heartbeat, all traces of blood were gone from the Lair; the only proof of the encounter was the memories.

"Looks like "sorry" didn't cut it," Raph snorted, glaring at the last place Iganna had been. "Good riddance." He turned around as he heard a tired sigh, and saw Leo standing up; he was practically hanging from Don's grasp, but he was on his feet nonetheless. "Oh, so _now_ ya finally get off yer shell," Raph drawled, a joking smirk on his face. "Figures. You leave us ta do all the work while you just sit there an' watch."

"What's the matter, Raph?" Leo asked tiredly, a weary grin growing to match his brother's. "Did you miss me? Couldn't handle it by yourself?"

"'Course I didn't miss ya. I just didn't want yer busted-up butt in the way. 'Sides, yer much more fun ta be around when yer asleep."

"Naturally. Well, then I shall do my best to please you." Leo swept an awkward bow and turned to Don. "Our dear brother wishes for my "busted-up butt" to get to bed. And honestly, so do I. Haul away, Don."

"Since when did _I_ get put in charge of carcass removal?" Don groused jokingly.

"It's not "carcass removal"," Leo retorted, a fake insulted look on his face. "It's "body relocation". I'm not a carcass until I start smelling funny and stop moving."

"Well, then consider yourself a carcass, bro," Mikey piped up cheerily as he joined Don in helping Leo up the stairs. "'Cause from where I'm standing, you're no bed of roses."

"An' ya ain't movin' much either," Raph pointed out.

"Just as soon as I can move by myself, you shall all pay for your insubordination," Leo growled.

"My sons." The four turtles turned to look at Splinter. "I am proud of you all. This was no easy encounter to endure, and I hope that this woman has taught you something. I hope too that her memory will not haunt you." The brothers bowed their heads at their sensei's words. "I do wonder, however, if it is possible for you to speak respectfully to each other," Splinter commented mildly, a rueful look in his eyes as he watched the foursome on the stairs.

They all looked at each other and shrugged. "It might be, Sensei," Mikey said. "But I don't think we'd want to try it. I mean, who knows if your or Leo's heart would be able to take the shock?"

Splinter narrowed his eyes. "My heart is perfectly fine, Michelangelo. I wonder, however, if the same can be said for your flipping skills."

Mikey gulped. "I'd love to reassure you 'bout that, Sensei, really, but Leo here needs some help. And you know how much I love helping my brothers!"

"Oh no, Mikey," Leo protested, smirking. "I would _never_ want to come between you and perfecting your Ninjitsu skills. Besides, I'm sure Raph could help me out."

The youngest turtle glared at Leo and lowered his voice so only his brothers could hear him. "Bro, unless you want me spiking your food while you play "Mr. Gimpy Turtle", I'd shut up. That is, unless you _want_ me to tell Sensei what happened to all his sake."

Leo's smirk disappeared and his face paled slightly. "Sounds fair." He looked over his shoulder at Splinter, pasting a sincere look on his face. "If it's alright, Master Splinter, maybe Mikey should come with us. It'd be a good chance for him to practice his medical skills."

Splinter's expression clearly said that he didn't buy a word of Leo's story, but he let it pass. "Very well, Leonardo. I shall be up shortly with some tea." The turtles relaxed once he passed into the kitchen.

"My, my, the great Leonardo lying to Master Splinter." Mikey shook his head in mock disapproval. "How low you have fallen."

"An important rule for ninja is self-preservation, Mikey," Leo responded.

"Real smooth there, Fearless," Raph said, supporting Leo from the other side. "Splinter didn't suspect a thing."

"Can it, Raph."

"What, you don't think he'd want ta know 'bout the drinkin' party we had? You know, the one ya didn't stop an' actually joined in on?"

"I don't know, Raph," Leo retorted, glaring at his brother. "Do you think he'd want to know about your magazine collection?"

This time, it was Raph's turn to pale. His eyes widened, then narrowed as he looked away. "Damn. Alright fine, my trap's sealed if yers is. Deal?"

"Deal," Leo agreed. "But you'll have to shake my hand for me. I don't feel like moving it right now."

Don sighed. "This is why we never get along. Sixteen years of trying to get each other in trouble."

"C'mon, Don," Mikey said, trailing his brothers. "Life's no fun without a little brotherly love…" As his brothers glanced at him askance, he grinned and continued.

"And blackmail."

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**A/N: Alright, who saw THAT coming? Hands? XD Seriously, I would love it if you guys would let me know if you figured out what was up with Iganna. Hopefully all the truth-spilling about her and her past made up for the lateness of this chapter, at least a little bit. And this is the longest one yet: 29 pages! . It's crazy. I really hope that this chapter came out well, because I worked really hard on it. I'm pretty proud of it, and I hope that you guys will like it. I'm proud of the title too; when I thought this would be the last chapter, I was like "Hey, Revelations is the last book of the Bible, and this is my last chapter! Oh ho ho, I'm so witty!" XD Then I screwed stuff up, and it's the second-to-last chapter ( . ), but I kept the name anyways because it's fitting. That and I've got a really good idea for the final chapter name that will work well for it, so all is happiness and light. :b**

**Now for some commentating. As for the ending, I hope it didn't seem rushed to anyone. I know it sounds like everyone was all "Hey, the psycho killer lady's dead. Yay. So what's for dinner?" But I didn't try to make it come across that way. I figure that Iganna isn't like Karai or the Shredder; there's no harsh past or difficult emotions attached to her, so there's mostly just relief that she's gone. There will be some reckoning and questions about her and her actions in the next chapter, so please don't think that the guys are just blowing off her death like it's nothing. I think that after something like this, it's often easier to set aside feelings about such a situation until everyone is more emotionally ready to handle them. You laugh or you cry, and I think the guys have learned by now that's it's better to laugh.**

**Anyhow, it's late, and I've got school tomorrow, so I'm gonna throw this up here and go to bed. I really hope this chapter met with everyone's satisfaction, and keep in mind, there's still one more chapter to come! And I promise it WILL be the LAST one this time, even if it's 50 pages long. So hopefully Chapter 13 won't be unlucky. And just a random note, if you guys get me to 100 reviews for this story I will love you all forever. I can't believe how many reviews and hits I've gotten already, and 100 reviews would be like the frosting on my cake of literary joy. XD Sorry. It's late, and sleep-deprivation makes me weird. So I'm gone, and thanks a bunch! As always, let me know of any mistakes, take care and please review:D**


	13. Holding On to Ghosts

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own the ninja turtles. cries It's a sad truth, but I'm dealing with it. One way I deal with it is by listing the stuff that I DO own. I own: Iganna, all the happenings of this story, the plot, this portrayal of Death (since I can't really own Death, and it would be creepy if I did) and this portrayal of the astral realm. So there!_

_And here it is: the LAST chapter of Bleeding Heart. I honestly can't believe I'm finished with this story, because it's seemed like there's always more to work on. But I'm finally done with it, and I'm glad. It's a real accomplishment, and I'm proud of myself for sticking with it, even if my updating schedule went all kablooey. A gigantic amount of thanks goes out to everyone who read and/or reviewed this story. Everything you've said has been great, and I really appreciate all of the support. Any tips you could give me would be great, and I'd love to hear from all of you in the future. Thank you, and here's some love to all of my **21 **reviewers:_

_**FF Demon, coldsunshin, BubblyShell22, Jerico Cacaw, Digmon Girl, Tewi, Pi90katana, Oni Mathier, LadyKatana45, Red Tale, Ted, Dierdre, Leonardo 15, Longing for Leo, bionicle-girl, Sewer Slider, AncientHistory, Janajyo, mac, greshunkai, Swallowraven**._

_I appreciate your support more than I can say. Thanks so much, and please enjoy the conclusion of "Bleeding Heart"._

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The atmosphere in the Lair was considerably lighter the next day. Now that Iganna was gone, as well as all concerns about Leo getting hurt again, everyone was in a better mood.

"Mornin', Donnie."

Don glanced up, smiling as Raph walked into the kitchen. "Morning, Raph," he greeted his older brother before turning his attention back to the small circuit board in front of him. "How are you doing?"

"A shell of a lot better than I was yesterday, that's fer sure," Raph replied, rifling through the fridge in search of breakfast.

"You're telling me. I still can't believe everything that happened yesterday. Everything Iganna told us, about her past, how she was able to get to Leo, how she disappeared…it's a lot to take in."

Raph growled as he threw a loaf of bread onto the counter. "That dame's damn lucky that that freaky whirlpool thing got to 'er before I did. Things wouldn't've gone nearly as nicely for her." He muttered a few more obscenities as he fixed himself some toast, then sat down across from Don. "So where are Mikey and Fearless?"

"As far as I know, they're both still asleep."

"Both of 'em?" Raph glanced at the clock. "It's 10:30. That ain't nothin' fer Mikey, but fer Leo?"

"Well, he has been through a lot in the past few days. And after what happened yesterday, it's no big surprise that he's a little tired." The brainy turtle looked up thoughtfully. "Although, now that I think about it, we _did_ go to bed at about 11:30 last night, and eleven and a half hours of sleep is a lot for anyone."

"So do you want me ta get 'im up?"

"Yeah, that would probably be best. Help him down to the lab, too, please; I'd like to see how he's doing."

"No problem." Raph walked out to the main room of the Lair and quickly leapt up to the second level. Walking past Mikey's room, he stopped suddenly at the door. _Don never said I shouldn't get Mikey up too_. Grinning, he grabbed an old football that had escaped from the youngest turtle's room. He took aim, then launched the football at his brother's head. The resulting yelp assured him that his shot had hit its mark.

"Geez Raph, what the shell did you do that for!"

"'Cause it's time ta get up."

"So you football-ed me in the head!" Mikey demanded, outraged. "This from the turtle who was all "why can't ya wake me up tha normal way"?"

"Hey, normally I would definitely come in there an' just smack ya, but after that mold episode, I ain't settin' foot in there any more than I have ta."

Mikey grumbled as he heaved himself out of bed. "It was _one_ little pile of mold. It's not like it was really hurting anyone."

"Says tha turtle that screamed like a little girl when some of it got on 'im."

The energetic turtle stuck a tongue out at his brother as he tied on his bandana. "Everyone's a comedian. Hey, what time is it?"

Raph rolled his eyes. If there was ever anyone born with a worse case of ADD, he had yet to meet them. "It's 10:30, bonehead."

"10:30! Aw shell, I'm missing Batman!" Mikey tore out of his room, nimbly maneuvering through the mess that would most likely cripple anyone else.

The red-banded turtle just shook his head and made his way down to Leo's room. Knocking on the door, he waited for an answer. When none came, he knocked a little harder, calling to his older brother through the door. "Hey, Leo, ya up?" Still receiving no response, he quietly opened the door.

Leo was lying in bed, not moving. Raph walked to his brother's bedside, making no attempt to soften his footsteps, yet Leo continued sleeping. _That's weird,_ Raph thought, his brow furrowing._ Leo's usually tha lightest sleeper of all of us. I guess Donnie's right; all the crap that's been happenin' lately must be hittin' him pretty hard._ He reached down and laid a hand on Leo's shoulder, shaking him gently.

"Hey, Leo, up an' at 'em." When he still received no response, he shook a little harder, frowning slightly. "C'mon, bro, it's time ta get up. Rise an' shine."

At first nothing happened, but then finally there was a slight stirring from beneath the blanket, followed by a muffled word from the depths of the pillow. "…What?"

Raph sighed in relief, stepping back from his brother's bed. "It's about time, bro; I was startin' ta get worried. Don sent me in here, wanted me ta make sure you were still kickin'."

Leo sat up slowly, wincing from the pain in his side and knee. He rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. "What time is it?" he asked through a yawn.

"It's 10:30. _Mikey_ even beat ya gettin' up, though he needed some help ta do it."

"10:30!" The eldest turtle's eyes darted to the clock, widening in surprise. "I can't believe I slept that late. Aw shell, I missed practice!"

Raph rolled his eyes. "Calm down before ya give yerself a heart attack, Leo. Sensei cancelled practice today, said we could prob'ly use tha break. 'Sides, it ain't like yer in any shape ta be practicin' anyways."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess you're right." Leo relaxed and reached over to his nightstand, grabbing his bandana and tying it on. "I can't say I don't appreciate the extra time."

"You an' me both, bro. How're ya doin'?"

The blue-banded turtle winced as he carefully levered himself to his feet, pulling himself up with the crutches. "I've definitely been better. My knee's killing me, my side feels like shell, and for some reason I'm still exhausted."

"Yer _still_ tired? Bro, you were out like a light fer almost twelve hours. An' I know yesterday wasn't exactly restful, but compared ta some of tha stuff we've faced, it was a cake walk."

"I know, Raph. That's why it doesn't make any sense." Leo balanced himself on his crutches, then turned to his brother. "You ready to go?"

"Huh?"

"You said Don wanted to see me, right?"

"Oh, yeah." Raph paused, looking closely at his brother, and he frowned at what he saw. Leo was a paler shade of green than he usually was, and he had the beginnings of dark circles under his eyes. It seemed like even his eyes were tired, the normally bright blue orbs slightly shaded. Lines were also beginning to take hold on Leo's face as well. Overall, Raph was disturbed to see just how worn down his older brother looked. "Bro, you sure yer feelin' okay?" Raph asked. He cleared his throat, trying to erase the concern from his voice and taking on a disinterested tone. "'Cause ya look like shell."

His older brother sighed and shook his head. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate your concern, Raph." He slowly began making his way out of the room, trying to accustom himself to the crutches. "As for how I feel…well, like I said, I'm just kind of tired. It's no big deal, nothing a good night's sleep won't fix."

Raph's brow furrowed as he followed Leo out of the room. Regardless of his brother's words, he couldn't shake the feeling that Leo shouldn't be this tired. _'Nothin' a good night's sleep won't fix', huh? Well, ya just _got_ a good night's sleep, bro; so what's wrong?_

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"Does this hurt?"

"No."

"How about here?"

"No."

"This?"

"Ow! Yes!"

"Oops, sorry. Can you lift your arm?"

"Yes."

"How high?"

Leo rolled his eyes as he carefully raised his left arm, stopping when the slice in his side began to protest. Don's "checkup" had turned into a full-scale inquisition as his brother poked and prodded him, all the while asking him dozens of questions. So far he'd had his reflexes tested, sat through an examination of all his injuries, and had all the bandages on his body changed. It was closing in on almost a solid hour now, and Leo was bored out of his mind.

And it didn't help that Raph and Mikey were lurking in the doorway watching with amused smiles on their faces as Don abused him.

"Alright, that's good," Don approved, lowering Leo's arm. "Better than I expected, really. Are you sure nothing else hurts?"

"Except my tail, no."

Don's eye ridges instantly snapped together. "What's wrong with your tail?"

"It's numb from being sat on for an hour on this really hard, really uncomfortable examining table."

Mikey and Raph snickered as Don glared at their oldest brother.

"Very funny, Leo."

Leo reached out a hand and set it on Don's arm. "Don't think that I don't appreciate how…thorough you're being, bro, but I've been sitting here for almost an hour telling you how I feel, and I haven't even eaten yet. I'm starving and I'm starting to lose feeling below the waist." Leo's expression was exasperated. "We know my knee's dislocated. We know I got cut in the side. We know I got cut on the arm. We know all of this, and none of it has changed. So can I go now?"

Mikey turned to Raph. "It's kinda weird to see Leo taking orders instead of giving them, huh?"

"It's good for 'im," Raph grinned. "Keeps 'im humble."

"You know, I _am_ just trying to make sure you're feeling alright, Leo," Don grumbled as he gathered up his equipment and stowed it in the various containers around the infirmary.

Leo sighed as he stood, wavering a bit before finding his balance on one leg and two crutches. "I know, Don. And I really do appreciate it. I'm just—"

"Sick of sitting around," Don finished for him. A rueful smile crept onto the purple-banded turtle's face. "I know. Go on, get out of here. Have Mikey make you some breakfast."

Mikey brightened at the mention of his name. "How do scrambled eggs sound?"

Leo made a face. "How about pancakes?"

The youngest turtle appeared to think about it for a minute before shrugging. "That works. We're out of most of the ingredients for scrambled eggs anyways."

"Then why'd you ask if he wanted eggs?" Raph demanded.

"I dunno. Everyone always wants eggs." At Raph's snort Mikey's expression became confused. "Don't they?"

"Hate ta break it to ya, Mikey, but no," Raph said bluntly. "We just ask fer 'em 'cause none of the rest of us can cook an' ya never make anythin' else."

The look on Mikey's face was horrified. "You mean…all this time, we've been living a lie! You guys _don't_ like my eggs!"

Raph sighed. _Here come tha hysterics_, he thought. "No, Mike, we like yer eggs, it's just—"

"I've been letting my brothers' taste buds wither and die! My culinary skills are beginning to stalemate!"

"That's "stagnate"," Don supplied.

"Right, that too." The orange-banded turtle's face immediately took on a determined expression as he hit his fist into the palm of his hand. "But no more! From now, on our culinary lives shall live again! Come, to my sanctuary!" With that, Mikey charged out of the infirmary and made a beeline for the kitchen. A few seconds later his brothers could hear him rifling through the contents of the cupboards before he hollered a question back at his oldest brother. "Hey Leo, how do banana and marshmallow pancakes sound?"

"Raph…" Leo turned to glare at his younger brother. "I swear I am going to kill you for this."

"Hey, I didn't tell him ta make you freaky pancakes, I just said we sometimes get a little tired of eggs."

"While we appreciate you making the effort, Raph, you might have done it a little more tactfully," Don reprimanded lightly as he helped Leo out to the living room.

"I don't do tactful."

"We're all well aware of that, but that doesn't mean you couldn't try once in a while," Leo grumbled as he sat down on the couch. "Now we get to deal with eating whatever comes out of that kitchen."

Mikey's voice rang out once more. "Who's up for gummi worm sushi for dinner?"

Both Don and Leo glared at Raph, who raised his hands in front of him protectively.

"It ain't my fault!"

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After spending several minutes discussing the state of Leo's health, and wringing a grudging apology from Raph, Don was able to convince Mikey to postpone his culinary adventuring for a time when everyone was healthy again. While the three oldest turtles would have preferred to throw out the idea totally, they knew that putting it off was the next best thing; with Mikey's attention span being what it was, there was every chance that he would forget about his cooking experiments on his own.

Mikey was now engrossed in a self-set challenge: the youngest turtle wanted to see if he could break his old record for how fast he could read a season of _Justice Force_ comics. Raph, meanwhile, was engaged in a workout in the dojo, paying some much needed attention to his neglected weight set. And Don was looking for Leo.

"It figures," the brainy turtle mumbled. "It just figures. First, I can't get away from him when he's hurt. Now, I can't even _find_ him."

"Find who?"

"Ahgh!" Don whipped around to face his oldest brother. "Leo! Where the shell did you come from!"

Leo looked puzzled at his brother's reaction. "The kitchen."

"Oh. How on earth did you manage to sneak up on me on those crutches?"

The blue-banded turtle grinned slyly. "Ninja stealth, Donatello. Silent as the shadows."

Don snorted. "Naturally. Did you need something from the kitchen?"

Leo shrugged. "I was feeling a little dizzy, so I grabbed something to eat."

That caught Don's attention. "Dizzy? Are you alright?"

"Don, calm down. It was just a little dizzy spell, I'm fine," Leo assured his anxious brother. "Nothing's happened since, and I feel fine."

Don looked at his brother carefully. "Well, if you're sure…it's just that you look a little under the weather today, bro."

"Trust me, I know. Raph pointed that out several times. I'm just a little tired."

"Alright. I'll be in my lab working on some modifications on the Shell Cells if you need me."

"Sounds good. I'll be in the living working on a painting. I'll let you know if I need anything."

Leo spent the next three hours engrossed in a painting. He was hard at work trying to capture Raph in the middle of the dojo, a focused expression on his face as he practiced an attack on a training dummy. Finished with the base sketch, he set down his pencil and studied the picture. He then got to his feet, intending to get the paints from his room, but he never got that far. As soon as he stood up, another wave of dizziness hit him hard, disorienting him. He tried to maintain his balance, but he knocked his crutches over instead. Suddenly inexplicably tired, Leo managed only one word before his legs gave out and he collapsed back onto the couch:

"Don…"

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Splinter sighed, his tired eyes opening as he once again gave up on meditating. It was now nearly impossible to calm his spirit sufficiently to detach from his body and enter the astral plane. Even light meditation, the novice's step of clearing the mind, was a challenge; his thoughts refused to settle, no matter what he tried. Splinter abandoned his current endeavor at inner peace, choosing instead to focus his thoughts on his sons. After Leonardo's collapse the other day, his eldest had steadily gotten worse. His dizziness remained, as did his fatigue, and he became weaker each day. Despite this, he still sought to continue on with his normal life; after spending so much time bedridden because of Iganna, Leonardo refused to spend anymore. But his defiance only lasted so long, and now, three days later, he was confined to his bed. At first he stayed up to read and talk, but eventually he spent all of his time sleeping. _And now_, Splinter thought sadly, _I am losing the rest of my sons as well. As their brother's health fails, they fall apart from me…and each other._

No one was handling Leonardo's decline well. Raphael's anger had long since breached its breaking point, and the lawbreakers of Manhattan were paying the price. Daily reports of dozens of gang members being found beaten and tied up could be seen on the news, though as the days progressed, the reports dwindled, for fewer and fewer crooks wanted to risk the attacks their fellows had suffered. Splinter's rebukes of his son's actions did nothing to deter them, and merely kept him away. He was rarely at home; he stayed in the Lair only during the daylight hours that forced him inside and was gone before dusk had barely kissed the sky and the sun had only just sunk below the horizon. _And even when he is home, he is not truly here,_ Splinter mused to himself. His second oldest son would lock himself in his room, loud music blaring through the walls. The only person he would see was Leonardo, whom he would sit by for hours before storming out of the Lair. Splinter glanced in the direction of Raphael's room, sighing; _why, my son? Why do you refuse to find comfort in your own family? Why are you convinced that it lies beyond the bounds of our home?_ Despite Splinter's numerous efforts to reach out to his son, Raphael refused all advances, burying his pain inside.

Donatello, for his part, was working himself to the point of exhaustion and beyond; he too spent countless hours by Leonardo's side, changing bandages, administering antibiotics, and checking his IV. When Leo had become too weak to eat, Donatello had suddenly produced the IV bags; no one asked how he had gotten them, and he didn't offer to supply the information. And whenever he wasn't caring for his brother, he would sit for hours pouring over medical books and files he located on the Internet, desperately searching for anything that could help him help his brother. Dark circles were a permanent fixture under his eyes these days; the only sleep he got would be during the few hours when his body, pushed dramatically past its limit, would simply shut down, dropping him wherever he sat. When things got to this point he could be seen most often slumped across his desk, notes and medical research filling the computer screen. _But despite Donatello's efforts, Leonardo's condition worsens each day._ Splinter sighed tiredly. _And Donatello fades right along side of him._

_And Michelangelo…you fear you are losing your brother, and so you are losing your light._ There wasn't any more laughter in the air, no cartoons on the television, and no jokes to liven the dead silence. Michelangelo wasn't eating and he hardly slept as he watched his brother slowly slip away. The youngest turtle spent most of his time sitting on the couch, staring vacantly at the blank television screens. He refused to go anywhere near the dojo, refused to train or even meditate, all of those activities reminding him too much of the brother he was losing. Yet in spite of Michelangelo's concern for his brother, he even kept away from Leonardo's room. For brief moments, when he couldn't be found on the couch, he would be haunting his brother's doorway, wavering on the threshold but never entering.

Despite the grief of the others, Splinter took Leo's worsening the hardest. For any parent, watching their child suffer is a horrible torment, and the old rat reflected this fact. More gray hairs joined the ones he already had, and he moved slower than normal. _I have tried to hold my family together, but my sons' ways of grieving, their anger and pain, drives them from one another._ Splinter could easily recall the many attempts he had made to try to keep his family whole. He would gather his sons to sit down and talk, but it would always end the same: Raphael would storm off again, masking his fear and pain with rage; Donatello would lock himself away in his lab, fixing broken appliances as he couldn't fix his broken family; and Michelangelo would become more and more lost, seeking comfort from his brothers where there was none to be found.

Splinter shook his head, a sudden burst of anger flaring in his heart; _I am the _jonin_ of this clan, I am the father of these lost children, and yet I have failed them_. After his advances were continuously shot down, he was shamed to say that he too had given up, retreating into his room and spending his time in meditation. Yet even the peace that meditation might have granted was denied him; the pain in his heart and the echoing pain from his sons continued to cloud his mind. The old rat sighed as he abandoned yet another try, and instead rose to make some tea, reassuring himself with the one saving grace that he _had_ managed to find in his attempts at meditation:

He could still sense Leonardo's spirit. And as long as he could still feel his son, there was still hope.

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Don pushed back from his computer desk with a sigh. This was the third time his eyes had crossed as he tried to read; too tired to focus, they were now openly rebelling against him. He closed the webpage angrily, shutting down the computer with quick movements. He was mad again; that seemed to happen a lot lately. The littlest things would set him off. But right now…he was mad at his family. He was angry with Mikey for always wanting comfort from him, when that was the same thing _he_ wanted and wasn't getting. He was mad at Raph for never sticking around. Don was even slightly resentful of Splinter; he had expected their sensei to hold them together through this…but when he thought about it, it would be hard for _anyone_ to keep them from falling apart, especially when some of them wanted the distance. Raph seemed to think it made him weak to reveal his true emotions, and Don was afraid of it hurting more to talk about what they were going through. Mikey was the only one of them that wanted to talk through this. The brainy turtle sighed. With so much time and silence around the Lair, he'd started analyzing his family and himself, trying to discover why they always pushed each other away in times like these. He knew that he wanted distance from Leo because he felt like he was failing his brother every time he found him in the same shape or worse than before. Mikey wanted to stay close to his brothers, but they always pushed him away. Raph, Don supposed, wanted distance because he couldn't do anything to help his brother, and he couldn't take not doing anything, so he left to find ways he _could_ help. The purple-clad mutant felt another surge of anger at the thought of his hotheaded and often absent brother; what had happened his promise of not continuing to stick him with all the medical work?

Don wished that Raph had held to that; it was getting harder each day to go take care of Leo, harder to maintain a professional detachment when there was never any improvement, just a worsening of his brother's condition. That was why he spent so much time looking for answers on the computer, because it was time he wasn't spending watching Leo get paler and frailer. Don often wondered why he did it; they all suspected Leo's current state was because of Iganna, and he sure as shell wouldn't find anything that could help Leo with _that_ on the internet.

But it was better than doing nothing, right?

Right?

A shock suddenly ran through him. No, it wasn't…because he _was_ doing nothing. None of this was doing anyone any good. He couldn't believe that it hadn't occurred to him before, but he was just like Raph…they both felt helpless, so they turned away from their brother and family to problems they _could_ fix: Raph went to pulverize punks because he couldn't attack the one responsible for their situation, and Don repaired mechanical things because he couldn't repair the rift in his family. The revelation staggered him. He had always seen himself and Raph as the most different from each other, and the knowledge of this connection was mind-boggling.

Don stood, wincing at the protestations of joints stiff from inactivity. He had to get his brothers back together. He may be better at fixing objects, but that didn't mean he couldn't try to fix _people_ for once. He'd start with Leo, and he knew just how to do it. Another thought had come to him: _why not try what we did last time?_ The last time Leo's life had been balanced on the edge, the whole family had talked to him to draw him back from that edge. Don had gone first that time, and he would do so again; once he did that, he'd go to his other brothers. The turtle set off for Leo's room, determination firming his steps.

He slowed slightly as he reached Leo's room, then entered. Quietly sitting down in the chair next to Leo's bed, he took hold of one of Leo's hands. With his eyes on his brother's pale, unguarded face, he began to speak.

"Hey, Leo; it's me, Don. Heh. Sounds just like last time, doesn't it? Feels like it too, bro, at least from where I'm sitting. I don't know what stories to tell you this time…so I suppose I'll just start by saying I'm sorry. It shouldn't have taken me this long to realize I was doing things wrong. But I'm trying, bro; I'll do better. We'll make it through, just like we did last time…"

Don dove into his memories, his tone light as he retold shared moments. It would work. It had to work…he'd _make_ it work. He'd talk himself hoarse if it meant bringing Leo back. His brother, his family, was worth that and more.

An hour had passed by the time Don's voice was nothing more than a croak. He'd talked almost nonstop, reliving good and bad times with his unconscious brother, remembering victories and defeats, times of joy and sadness. The purple-banded turtle stopped for a break to rest his tired jaw and study his brother, but Leo didn't look any different. Don's shoulders fell. The analytical part of his mind knew better than to expect any improvement so soon, but the emotional part of him had hoped things would fix themselves as quickly as they had last time.

Don yawned. His long nights (and days) were catching up with him despite his best attempts to stay awake. He vaguely tried to recall the last time he had slept; _I think it might have been for a couple hours sometime yesterday._ He couldn't remember the last time he'd had an entire night's sleep. Resting his arms on the side of his brother's bed, he wearily laid his head on them. _I'll just rest for a couple minutes, then I'll go get Mikey and Raph and Master Splinter…_

_And we'll fix Leo…_

_And everything will be alright again…_

As the exhausted turtle began to slip off to sleep, thoughts of his family, whole and reunited, floated through his mind; and he soon found that couldn't tell where his hopes ended and his dreams began.

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Mikey wandered through the Lair, feeling like a stranger in his own home. It was so quiet; it felt like he was the only one there. But he wasn't; almost his entire family was home, and yet here he was, all alone. He sat back down on the couch; it seemed to be the place he spent the most time. It was comfortable there, and it brought back memories of how things _should_ be: watching a movie with his family, laughing and joking. He remembered why he liked spending time here; it was right in the middle of the Lair, right where he could always find his family. From here, he could watch Leo and Raph spar, he could see Don in his lab, and he could spot Master Splinter in the kitchen making tea. Mikey slowly realized something; that was why he kept sitting here, hour after hour, day after day. He kept waiting for his family, kept hoping that if he sat here long enough, he find them…they'd come back.

_Come back…when they _should_ be here in the first place. I'm supposed to be the "youngest", so why am I the only one willing to face this? Why aren't my big brothers willing to stay around? We all know Leo's in bad shape, so why can't we stick together? I don't want to lose anyone else…_He was inexplicably mad at his entire family all of sudden. Mikey's anger, normally dormant, ignited; he wanted so badly to have someone to blame and be angry at, just so he could for once feel something other than fear and sadness. He was mad at Leo for not getting better, even though he knew it wasn't his brother's fault. He was mad at Don for shutting himself off from the rest of them. As for Raph…he was mad at Raph for never being there. It hurt Mikey that Raph, the brother he was closest to, couldn't be bothered to care for him or the rest of the family. And yet, he knew that this was how his brothers coped. Mikey even felt anger towards his sensei for not holding the family together. And he was mad at himself too. He had always managed to be a kind of glue in his family; when his brothers fought, he kept them together by redirecting their anger with a bad pun or a practical joke. When Leo and Raph were once again at each others throats, Mikey would attempt to dissolve the anger and play peacemaker. But now he didn't have the heart to do so, and no one else was holding up their part either.

Mikey sighed. Their family always seemed to suffer whenever a piece was missing. They had always kept together before because of all the parts of their family working like a well-oiled machine. Leo provided the calm, level head and the decisions and kept them grounded; Raph was the force and the spark, balancing Leo and moving them forward; Don was the brains, always having some gadget to get them out of a mess and acting as the balm between the older brothers; and Mikey tried his best to ensure his brothers _stayed_ his brothers, to make sure they stayed young and weren't just ninja, and didn't forget how to laugh. And behind it all was Master Splinter, holding all the pieces together with his calming love and support. All the ingredients were there, so why were they falling apart?

_What's happened to us?_ Mikey wondered miserably. _We've all lost each other, and Leo's not even dead…_

_Yet_.

Mikey's tears returned in full force. Self-loathing filled his stomach as he sobbed. As hard as he tried, whenever his thoughts turned to his oldest brother, he could never keep that hateful word from his mind. _Yet_. More prevalent than the fear that haunted him at the thought of losing his brother was the hate he felt towards himself right now. Every time he thought about Leo, his traitorous mind always supplied that one word. He felt as though he was betraying Leo every time those three small letters echoed in his head; it felt like he was already letting Leo go, but that was something that he refused to do.

Mikey stood, propelling himself violently from the couch as he swiped the tears off of his cheeks. He suddenly felt an irrepressible urge to be with his brothers; he missed them so much it hurt. But what hurt even more was the fact that he was missing people who were right there; his brothers were all still here, were all still alive, and yet had become so distant that it was almost as if they were no longer with him. Mikey tried to be as mature as his brothers, but right now he needed his big brothers. He headed to Leo's room, driven by a certainty he couldn't explain that his brothers would be there.

He just hoped he still had three of them.

As he reached Leo's door, he paused, the familiar fear of what he would finding stopping him in his tracks. But with a deep breath, the turtle managed to propel himself into the room. Upon entering, he was surprised to see Don sleeping in a chair beside Leo's bed. Mikey couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Don anywhere other than in front of his computer chair. As he walked up next to his brother and stretched out a hand to shake him awake, he stopped, because he also couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Don asleep. Looking at his older brother, Mikey came to a decision. _We've waited this long to talk; a little while longer won't hurt._ The orange-banded turtle grabbed a chair and settled in next to Don, scooting close to his brother and grabbing a hold of Leo's hand. _I'll just wait for Don to wake up, and then maybe we can go look for Raph._ He gave a large yawn. _Or maybe I'll just close my eyes for a bit too. Like they always say, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em._

He copied Don's position, and was asleep within seconds of his head hitting the edge of Leo's mattress.

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Raph trudged home through the sewers, kicking at anything that crossed his path and grumbling under his breath.

"Stupid Purple Dragons….buncha wastes of time. Freakin' amateurs an' a buncha sissies."

This was the first night that Raph had come up empty on his search for lawbreakers to pummel. For the past two nights he'd gone out with Casey, and there was never any trouble finding a group of crooks to pound on, for lowlifes were everywhere in New York; robbing grocery stores, getting into gang fights, and attacking women in lonely alleys. Raph had enjoyed their late night activities. They stayed out all hours of the night, since with Leo ill and Master Splinter trying to help his son, Raph was fairly unmonitored. While part of him enjoying his freedom, part of him hated it; he didn't want the price of having some space to be his brother's life. So he would shake off the thoughts of Leo and concentrate on the good parts: with no supervision, he and Casey did as they pleased. The pair turned nocturnal, which, given their lifestyles, wasn't that big of a change. They would head out at dusk and normally stay out until two, handling every crime they came upon. And once most criminals were in bed, they would conduct sweeps of known Purple Dragon hideouts, busting in and attacking while the thugs were still unfocused from sleep. Raph enjoyed it, because a fight meant that he didn't have to worry himself sick wondering if he now had only two brothers. Every other time he did, so the "exercise" was a welcome distraction. The pair would then congratulate themselves and stumble back to Casey's place to sleep for most of the day. But now, as reports of the wave of attacks on criminals circulated the news, those who _weren't_ behind bars were laying low, which meant that nothing had happened tonight. Casey hadn't even wanted to head out, telling Raph that they'd be better off taking it easy for a change.

Despite his discomfort, Raph had listened to Casey and headed home. The Lair had become his least favorite place to be lately, and as such, he'd spent as little time there as possible. _There's no place like home…_ Raph mused darkly as he walked into the Lair and made his way to his room. He immediately grabbed his headphones and cranked up the volume on his boom box. Loud heavy metal music flooded his ears, and hearing someone else's anger helping to take the edge off of his own. A few minutes into the song he realized that he couldn't feel the familiar presences of his brothers in their normal places. Raph winced at the thought of his brothers as he slowly sat up and turned off his music. Since Leo had kept getting worse, none of them had felt like smiling, much less laughing, so Mikey's attempts at lightening the gloom had been quickly shot down. And without jokes and antics to help himself and others, Mikey had retreated into himself. _It prob'ly didn't help that his other two bros blew him off. Me an' Don ain't exactly been model big brothers. Don's been too wrapped up in Leo, an' as fer me…I've been too wrapped up in bein' angry about Leo._ Raph sighed and started pacing. _Leo…what the shell is it about you that holds us together? Why the shell is it that without ya around, we're fallin' apart? _He growled. _An' what the shell's wrong with _me_? Why can't _**I**_ keep it together, keep us together?_ The angry turtle's pacing slowed until he came to a stop. _'Cause I ain't even been around. I ain't even been tryin' ta keep it together; I've been too pissed an' been out bustin' skulls too much. Well screw that. I can fix this now. Better late than never, right?_

His mind made up, Raph quickly made his way out of his room, heading for Leo's. But what he saw there stopped him in his tracks.

Leo was still lying on his bed, still quiet and motionless. But for once he wasn't alone. Don was sitting in a chair beside Leo's bed, arms on the mattress and head propped up on his forearms, fast asleep. At his side was Mikey, who had brought another chair up to Leo's bedside. The youngest turtle was also asleep, with a tight grip on Leo's hand and his head resting against Don's. Raph smirked. _Looks like I'm the last one to tha party._ He quickly fetched a chair for himself and a blanket, and spread the blanket across his brothers' shoulders. The thought of waking them didn't even cross his mind. Despite his nearly constant absence, he _had_ at least noticed that both Don and Mikey only slept when they couldn't fight it anymore; Don because he'd constantly be searching for a "cure", and Mikey for fear of his brother not being there when he woke up. Guilt continued to rumble in Raph's stomach. _Raphie old boy, you've been one shell of a big bro lately_, he berated himself sarcastically. The closeness seemed to do all three of them some good, because Don and Mikey looked more peaceful than he'd seen then in days, and even Leo looked better; Raph hated to get his hopes up, but he could swear there was a little more color in Leo's face. And from the looks of things, this was the best sleep either of his younger brothers had had in far too long.

Raph yawned. _Come to think of it, I ain't exactly been gettin' my beauty sleep either._ Dragging his chair next to Mikey's, he plopped down heavily, snagging a corner of the blanket for himself. He gently slung an arm around Mikey's shoulders and laid his hand on top of his younger brother's and Leo's, settling his head in the crook of his arm. Sighing gently, he closed his eyes. _I'll just nab a quick nap, then wake up Don an' Mikey an' apologize fer being an idiot. Just for…a couple…minutes…_

The tired turtle soon joined his brothers in deep sleep, the four of them sleeping more peacefully than they had in years.

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"My sons…my sons, it is time to wake up."

Splinter gently shook his three youngest sons awake, smiling as they grumbled and stretched their ways into awareness. The Ninjitsu master had been attempting to meditate once again after a cup of tea when suddenly his mind had cleared. Startled by the sudden ease with which he could contact the astral plane, Splinter had quickly searched for information, then decided to investigate the cause. He discovered that he could no longer feel the cloud of pain from his sons that had blocked him the past few days. And oddly enough, he sensed all four of their presences in Leo's room. When he opened the door to his eldest son's room, the sight of the four of them sleeping together, just as they had as young turtle tots, had brought a smile to the old father's face. Leo was laying on his bed, with Don, Mikey, and Raph lined up beside him. Don had stretched out an arm so that his hand was on Leo's chest, and his other arm acted as a pillow. Mikey was using Don as his pillow, and was holding onto Leo with one hand and Raph with another. Raph had an arm around Mikey's shoulders, his hand just touching Don's shoulder and the other hand firmly in his youngest brother's grip. As much as he had wanted to let them sleep, or even just take a picture of the touching moment, there was now a need for action.

Mikey rubbed his eyes, giving a wide yawn. "Dude, did I sleep through practice again?"

Splinter smiled ruefully. "No, my son. But we have things we must do if we are to help Leonardo."

All three of the younger turtles were instantly wide awake, glancing at their big brother before focusing on Splinter and listening intently to what he told them. Through his meditation, Splinter had been able to discover that a connection still lingered between Iganna and Leo, and explained that the remaining connection was what was threatening Leo's health.

Raph shook his head. "We just can't seem ta get rid a this broad, can we?" Glancing towards his brothers and sensei, he took in a deep breath. "Look, I…I'm sorry, guys. For the way I've been actin' lately. I ain't even been around, an' I shoulda been. An' I've only just noticed we're all fallin' apart."

Don and Mikey both squeezed Raph's hand in understanding. "I'm sorry, too," the brainy turtle apologized. "I've been so focused on Leo that I've been ignoring you guys."

"It's okay, bro," Mikey said. "If I hadn't been avoiding Leo's room, you wouldn't have had to do it all yourself."

"Same goes fer me," Raph agreed. "I told ya we wouldn't leave that to ya all the time, an' I never stuck to that."

"As you all can see, this is no single individual's fault. In the matter of our family's state as of late, we all share the blame. Though I saw you distancing yourselves from one another, I had thought to let you go, hoping that you would eventually realize that you needed the strength of each other. But you all strove so hard to be strong, and rather than burden each other with your pain, the three of you have tried to bear it alone. But pain such as this is too much for anyone to carry by themselves. In sharing pain, you will find it diminishes rather than increases." Splinter looked at all of his students. "But the time for talk has passed. We now must act. I will venture to the astral plane to release your brother. Which of you will join me?"

"I will, Master Splintah," Raph said, speaking up before his brothers. "I'm supposed ta be the leadah when Leo ain't around, an' I ain't been doin' that lately, so I'll do it now." He looked at Don and Mikey. "I'll bring Leo back, I swear."

Splinter nodded his approval. "Very well. Michelangelo, Donatello, you will remain here and watch over Leonardo. Raphael and I shall return as quickly as we can."

The turtle and his master soon sank into meditation, then deepened their concentration, tracing the paths from their bodies to the astral plane.

_Splinter walked out of his door, soon joined by Raph. He nodded to his son and the pair set off, following the feeling of Leo's spirit. Several minutes later, they reached his spiritual form, far from his entrance to the astral plane. Splinter gazed at Leonardo's manifest state. His eldest son's spirit, seen so often in their lessons in meditation, was normally so bright, so vibrant, so full of life. Now all that remained was a bare fragment, thin and hollow, producing little more light than a will-o'-the-wisp. He cursed the woman who was destroying his son just as he cursed the action he knew he had to take. He knew this was the only way, yet he didn't know what effect it would have. A sinking feeling in his heart whispered of failure and loss, but he quelled the voice. Leonardo was his son, and as a father he was duty-bound to protect him. The strange woman they had dealt with was somehow still hurting his son, and indirectly, his other sons; even in death, she harmed them and was tearing them apart. He would allow this woman to haunt his family no longer. Looking up, he caught Raphael's gaze; it was time. They created replicas of Leo's katana with their minds, focusing on the injured turtle, and raised them above the thin thread. Splinter closed his eyes for a brief moment, then nodded and plunged the blade down, sensing that Raphael had done the same._

_As soon as the swords touched the strange thread, they were met with resistance. The thread bent slightly but did not snap. Splinter narrowed his eyes; they had not cut through, which meant Leonardo was still at risk. He looked up at Raphael, whose worry and fear were clear in his eyes. The old rat searched his son's gaze, looking for the spark he sought…Ah, there it was. Beneath the fear, beneath the worry and pain and confusion, there was what he sought: Raphael's anger. It seemed that no matter what situation they faced, it was the one thing his son always held to; it was a fire that could not be quenched. Splinter had realized long ago that his son's joy in battle stemmed not from a love of violence, but almost an excess of the innate desire for life that made up every creature; the indescribable _something _that caused a dying animal to bare its teeth at the hunter, that made a defeated soldier refuse to bow under immeasurable odds, that drove a spirit to cling to life and snarl unending defiance at Death. That passion for life overflowed in his son, and the fate that denied Raphael of such a full life was what fueled his anger. It often seemed to Splinter to be more than just anger, but also a refusal to bend or be broken. Now it was both; Raphael refused to lose his brother, and his anger burned clearly at the woman who, even in death, was making that a distinct possibility. Splinter drew his gaze out of the depths of his son's._

"_Raphael, do you remember the many things I have told you about controlling your anger, my son?"_

_Despite their situation, a smirk curled at the edges of Raph's mouth. "Yeah, Sensei, I remember."_

"_Forget them."_

_The turtle was flabbergasted. "Say what?"_

"_We forged these swords out of love, and hope, and a desire for justice, and I cautioned you not to allow your anger to temper the steel, for anger can defeat a warrior. Now I see that I was wrong to do so. Your anger now stems from fear for a loved one and a desire to protect them; in such anger, one can only find strength. Your anger now burns at the thought of losing Life, at the thought of your brother's light going out, and at the obstacle that blocks the future; in such anger, one can only find hope. Your anger now is a justifiable force, one in which we will find our victory. Let us recreate our blades."_

_A slow, dark grin grew on Raph's face. "You got it, Master Splintah."_

_As Splinter watched, Raph cast away the sword he was using, and, closing his eyes, drew forth his new katana. This sword was quite literally aflame with his son's anger, and the flames almost burned too brightly to bear. They raced up and down the length of the steel, licking at Raph's hand; but even when the fire began to spark across Raph's body, he wasn't burned. His angry and defiant spirit was too much a part of him and too strong now to be bound by the laws of any plane. Splinter nodded his approval and set his own blade aside. His also burned with fire, though it was decidedly less volatile than Raph's; for though Splinter too was angry at this woman for threatening his family, that was the only anger he channeled. Raph had drawn every drop of anger that he felt and pushed it all into his mystical weapon._

_Splinter eyed his son's weapon, sensing easily that the anger that fed it was not entirely because of this woman. "I see we still have progress to make in controlling your anger, my son."_

_Raph's expression was sheepish. "Prob'ly, Sensei."_

_The old rat shook his head in exasperation. "It shall be a lesson for another time. Come; let us try again."_

_The pair reclaimed their previous positions, and once again raised the swords. Splinter caught Raph's eye and nodded, giving him the signal. Both weapons hit the thread at the same time and once again, it resisted. But this time, something _else_ happened;_ _a shudder ran through the thread and an echoing shriek began to build in the air. Just as Raph and Splinter thought that their ears would burst with the sound of it, the thread snapped, cutting off the haunting cry. The flames from the swords suddenly leapt from the blades to the broken thread and raced along the length of it, burning the entire thing to ash._

"_Yes!" Raph cried._

_Splinter sighed in relief, a heavy load lifting from his shoulders. However, as he turned to look at Leonardo, that load quickly returned. Leonardo's spirit, instead of strengthening or at least steadying in its light, was wavering. Its form was still weak, its hazy quality becoming more pronounced. "No…"_

"_No? No what?" Raph asked. He followed his father's gaze. "Leo!" The turtle nearly flew to his brother's side. "What's wrong with 'im, Master Splintah!"_

"_I do not know, my son, but I fear that it is a result of our actions."_

"_What? But that was s'posed ta help 'im, not kill 'im!"_

"_I know, Raphael. But that woman's hold on Leonardo has weakened him. His body and spirit have been forced to tolerate her attachment for a while, and such an abrupt separation may have shocked his core. And with your brother already being weak from her attack and her draining of his energy over the past week, we may have only made things worse." Splinter's shoulders sagged, fear and sadness etching harsh lines in his face. "I feared that something like this could happen, but it was the only way to rid her from our lives for good. I am sorry, my son, but…we may have acted too late."_

"_No! He ain't gonna die! I ain't gonna _let_ him die!" Raph dropped to his knees and grabbed Leo's spirit by the shoulders. "Leo, come on! Ya gotta fight this, bro! There ain't nothin' holdin' ya back now, so if ya wimp out on me I know it's all just you bein' stupid! We've worked too hard ta keep ya with us to have ya kick off now." He shook Leo, gaining no response. "Come on, Leo! I will personally kick yer shell if ya give up! We've finally got a chance ta beat this broad once an' fer all, an' ya can't pass that up. We can't lose ya, bro; we'd fall apart. We're _already_ fallin' apart. I don't know how ta be tha leader, Leo. I know I've given ya crap about it, but it just ain't in me, at least not yet. Come on, bro, just…just fight."_

_The words seemed to find Leo, because his head moved slightly and his eyes opened to mere slits. "Raph…?" he whispered._

_Raph smiled in relief. "Yeah, bro, it's me. Just hang in there."_

"_Raph, I'm trying, but…it's hard. I'm…just…so exhausted…"_

"_I know, bro, but ya gotta hang in there. Just get back ta yer body an' I promise you can sleep fer a week."_

"_I…can't, Raph. I can't get my mind to focus on…the way back."_

"_Leonardo, you must," Splinter said. "Your body is waiting for your spirit, my son. All you need to do is follow the call. I shall help you." Splinter closed his eyes, and a bright light began to emanate from him._

"_What's goin' on, Sensei?" Raph asked._

"_I am expanding my spiritual energy, Raphael; I shall go ahead of you so that you can find your way, and this light shall act as a beacon" The rat sighed. "Your brother will need it, as well as the energy that emits from it, for his spirit is weak; he may soon begin to lose his connection with his body because of the distance between it and his spirit."_

_Raph glanced back at his brother. Leo's eyelids were still partly open, the eyes behind them tired as the elder turtle tried to focus on his brother. His spirit kept blurring softly out of focus, and more of him vanished each time he flickered; it was almost as though he was on a beach and each wave was carrying more and more of him away. As Raph met his brother's gaze, he could tell that Leo had heard Splinter's words, because fear was clear in his eyes. But what really scared Raph was what he read in Leo's eyes right below the fear:_

_Leo knew Splinter was right._

_He knew he was losing his connection to his body, to the real world, the world of the living. He knew his strength was waning, knew that he may not have enough strength left to make it back._

_Leo knew that he was dying._

"_No." Raph's entire being shook with the force of his denial. "NO," he repeated, refusing to believe what was staring him in the face. The truth hadn't been spoken, but it was still there, hanging in the air like the lingering remnants of a bad dream, like the hateful stench of blood that one could never quite clear from the air: they were losing Leo. "You're better than this, bro; you're stronger than this. Ain't no way you can just give up. Ya gotta fight."_

"_Raph…" Leo's voice was little more than a whisper. "I've _been_ fighting. I tried to get back…but I'm just too tired."_

"_So that's it? Yer just gonna give up!" Raph's fear quickly turned to anger; it was safer to be angry, because it left no room for fear and pain. "Great. The 'Fearless Leader' is just givin' up 'cause he's "too tired". What the shell am I s'posed ta tell Don and Mikey, huh? That their big bro, big, tough Leonardo, died 'cause he was too much of a wimp to fight?"_

"_Why can't you understand?" Leo's voice strengthened for a moment. "It's not that I don't want to fight, Raph…I don't want to leave. I want to stay, I _want_ to go back home."_

"_Then find your way home, Leonardo," Splinter said. "Your brothers are waiting for you. My son, I know that you can overcome this. Your strength of spirit has always been great. This is a battle you _must_ fight."_

"_Sensei, I'm sorry, but I've tried."_

"_Then try again." Splinter's voice was firm, his tone the one that the turtles never dared to argue with. "I am your master and teacher, Leonardo; I have trained you for years, raised you from an infant. I know you and your brothers as well as I know myself. I know your weaknesses, and I know your strengths. You _can_ win this battle, my son. Your strength lies deep within, and you must gather all that you can. I shall return to the physical plane and will guide you back to your body from there. Raphael shall help you here." Laying a hand on Leo's head, he locked gazes with Leo. "You fought your way back once, my son; now you must do so again."_

"…_Yes, Master Splinter." Leo's voice was quiet, but despite his words, Raph wasn't sure if he truly heard agreement in them. As Splinter turned and began his return to the physical plane, Leo stopped him. "Sensei, wait."_

"_Yes?" The rat turned around, his tired eyes deep with emotion._

"_I…I love you, Father."_

_Splinter's eyes began to glisten with tears and a wave of overwhelming sadness crossed his face as he looked at his sons; he seemed to sense what lay behind Leo's words. And though he wanted to deny the present situation, he would not risk his last words to his eldest son. "And I love you as well, my son." He turned back again, firming his voice once more. "I shall see you _both_ at home." His proud form, bent slightly in grief, was soon out of sight._

_Leo sighed, the air little more than a breeze. "Home…that sounds so nice right now…"_

"_Then go back home, bro," Raph pleaded, desperation softening his tone. "Just fight a little longer. Please."_

_His brother turned weary eyes on him. "Raph, I've got nothing left to fight with."_

_The blank admission froze Raph's heart. Leo had always been their rock; he was always the one who never gave up. No matter what, he would always fight to the bitter end; he, like Raph, didn't know the meaning of the word "surrender". To hear his older brother say that he was finished, that the end had been reached, drove the truth home like nothing else could._

"_No…" The denial came again, almost an automatic reaction, a last defense that was quickly failing. "No…" His refusal of the truth was weaker this time; looking at Leo, Raph knew that he himself hardly even believed it anymore. Tears began to form in his eyes. "Leo, no…"_

"_Oh, Raph," Leo whispered, sadness covering his features. "Please don't. Please don't cry, bro." With a shaking hand, he reached up to weakly wipe away a tear on Raph's face, before his hand fell heavily to the ground, his energy spent. "Come on, Raph, you never cry. It's alright, bro, it'll be okay…"  
_

"_How the shell is it gonna be okay?" Raph demanded, his voice thick with emotion. "Yer _dying_, Leo, that ain't okay!"_

"_Raph, I'm not the only brother you have. You've still got Mikey and Don, and Master Splinter. You'll be alright. You're strong; you'll be a good leader for the others."  
_

"_I don't want ta be the leader!" Raph cried. "I want you ta get yer shell back home, where you belong! Just try harder!"_

_Leo only sighed. "Raph, please. I don't want to say goodbye when you're angry."_

"_I don't want ta say goodbye at all."_

"_Neither do I, but…" Leo's words hung in the air, the end of his sentence clear to them both: "but I don't have a choice". He sighed, locking his eyes with his brother's. "I love you, bro."_

_Raph closed his eyes, the tears beginning to press heavily against his eyelids. He'd never thought he'd lose any of his brothers this soon; he never thought about it all, mainly because the thought of life without any of his family members was incomprehensible to him. His mind raced; there was so much he wanted to say, so many things he still needed to tell Leo. But what did he have time for? He had to at least say what was most important, and he would. "I love you too, Leo. An' I'm sorry fer everythin'. I-"_

"_You don't have anything to apologize for, Raph. Just promise me you'll watch over Master Splinter and the others. Especially Mikey; he'll need you to get through this."_

_Tears began to fall down Raph's face now, soaking his mask despite his efforts to wipe them away. "I promise." He gripped Leo's hand. "I'm here, bro."  
_

"_I know…" Leo's words were even quieter now, his eyes drifting shut. "You always have been…"_

_As Raph watched his brother fade more and more out of sight, it occurred to him in a distant corner of his mind that crying wasn't so bad. In fact, a small voice remarked, it rather helps. It's something to hold to when there's nothing else you can do, no way that you can help. It's one thing you can do when you're helpless…_

_Helpless?_

_That last thought broke through the numbing shell of pain and hopelessness that was quickly encasing Raph at the thought of his brother's death. If there was anything Raph couldn't handle, it was inactivity, helplessness. His pride wouldn't allow him to stand by as Life went on; he had to be right in the midst of it, rubbing elbows and knocking heads with Destiny and Fate themselves. He remembered suddenly why he hated crying, why he never took part in the activity. Crying meant giving up without a fight. Crying meant you'd lost hope; you'd given up on trying. Crying meant that Life had dragged your shell into a fight and wiped the floor with you. Crying meant you were beaten and you knew it. And Raph was never one to admit defeat._

_What the shell was he doing? Was he just going to sit here and watch his brother die?_

_Shell no._

_Raph swiped at his eyes, scattering his tears. "Alright, Leo. Ya wanna go home? Then we're goin' home."_

"_Raph, I-"_

"_Just 'cause you've given up doesn't mean I have. I'm gettin' yer shell home even if I hafta drag it all the way there. I promised Don and Mikey that I'd bring ya back, an' that's a promise I intend ta keep."_

"_I haven't given up," Leo protested, opening his eyes._

"_Then prove it," Raph challenged. "Promise me you won't give up."_

_Leo's eyes met Raph's, exhaustion filling them. He gave a feeble nod. "Alright, Raph, I promise." Closing his eyes again for strength, the battered turtle struggled to lift himself to his feet, but his tired body refused to cooperate. "Raph, I can't move…"_

_Raph was filled with the desire to punch something at seeing his brother so weak. Next to him, Leo was physically the strongest of their brothers, but now he couldn't even move on his own; Leo's attempts to stand had only resulted in feeble twitches of his limbs. "Then I'll move ya. Yer not Mikey, so I know you don't weigh that much." Raph repositioned himself beside his brother and carefully slid his hands and arms under Leo. As soon as he was sure of his grip, he stood slowly, letting his brother's weight settle into his arms. Chills ran down his spine as he looked at Leo; his brother's spirit was now so faint that Raph could see the outline of his own arms through his brother. Wrenching his gaze from his brother's body, Raph looked up; a bright light was shining like a miniature sun on the horizon. "Look, bro, there's Master Splintah; he's waitin' fer us just like he said. It's the same line as all those cheesy movies Mikey's always watchin': "go to the light"." Raph grinned, glancing down to see if his brother had gotten the joke._

_But Leo was staring behind him, his gaze focused on something else. "There's a light back there, too…"_

_Raph turned, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, and sure enough, another light glowed from behind them; but it was closer. He could feel a kind of passiveness emanating from it, a force telling him that sleep would be so much easier. He could feel it drawing heat from him, trying to lull him into the sleepy stupor that cold always caused him and his brothers. And he could especially feel its pull on Leo. Raph snarled at it and quickly turned back to face Splinter's light. "Not that light, bro, that's the wrong one."_

_He set off walking immediately, tracing the paths back to their bodies with determination. At first it was simple; Leo hardly weighed more than a thought, and Splinter's light warmed him, chasing away the chill from the light behind. But every moment, it got harder; with each step he took he could feel the pull on Leo increasing. When he risked a glance over his shoulder, the light was still there, just as close even though they had moved closer to Splinter's light. Leo was still staring back at the cold light, lying limply in Raph's arms. The hotheaded turtle gave his brother a little shake. "Hey, come on, Leo. That ain't the light you wanna be lookin' at."_

_Leo nodded slightly, the motion quickly translated into a shiver. "Raph…is it c-cold in here t-to you?"_

_"What?" Raph looked behind him, then down at his brother, who was trembling lightly in his arms. "Shell." He hugged Leo closer. "It's okay, bro; we'll be somewhere warm soon." Raph moved faster, speeding his pace up to a jog. He threw glances over his shoulder every so often, and each time he looked back, the cold light was there, following them. Its feeling had changed now; the suggestion of sleep was becoming more of a demand, and the cold was coming in faster waves. Leo's shivering deepened until he was vibrating steadily in Raph's arms. "Shell again. Alright, hold on, Leo, we're sprintin' now." Tightening his grip on his brother, Raph broke into a run. Any thought of how stupid he felt running from a ball of light was quickly banished; Leo had grown even colder and more transparent, and his shivering was getting worse._

_After a few minutes that felt like hours, Raph finally reached Splinter's light, and in front of them laid the glowing doorway that was Leo's entrance and exit to the astral plane. Raph heaved a sigh of relief. "Check it out, Leo; we made it, bro." Kneeling carefully, he gently laid his brother on the ground and sat down beside him, leaning back on his elbows. "And not ta call ya fat or nothin', but yer a lot ta carry this far an' I'm takin' a break."_

_"Slacking on the job, huh?" Leo's words were still quiet, but Raph was gratified to find that his brother's voice was a little stronger. Even better, his shivering had nearly stopped._

_"Hey, yer the one that's supposed ta be the fearless leader, takin' charge an' doin' everythin'. I'm just backup."_

_"…No, you're not." Leo turned his head to the side to look at the red-banded turtle. "You're more than just my second-in-command, Raph. You're my brother. And if it wasn't for you…I wouldn't still be here."_

_"Sure ya would. Ya just-"_

_"No, Raph. I wouldn't be here. I was just so tired, and…" Leo looked away, shame evident on his features. "I would have let go."_

_Raph's anger flared, and he opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly snapped it shut again. _I ain't got no right ta yell at 'im_, Raph realized. Looking at his brother, he was amazed that Leo had lasted even this long. Raph sighed and clapped Leo on the shoulder. "It's alright, bro. You've been through shell lately, an' ya wouldn't a been failin' anyone if ya had let go. Ya held on till I got here, an' that's all I care about." He heaved himself to his feet and started helping Leo up. "Now let's get outta here. This place is startin' ta get borin'."_

_"That sounds—"_

_The words had barely left Leo's mouth when a sudden gust of icy air knocked both of them back to the ground. Raph recovered faster than Leo and catapulted to his feet, turning around. "What the shell?!"_

_Behind them stood a tall, dark-robed figure, its face hidden in a cowl and its hands and arms lost in the voluminous folds of the sleeves. Raph narrowed his eyes. He didn't know how or why, but the figure before him carried the same feeling of that cold light earlier. The red-banded turtle shifted slightly to the side so that he was standing in front of his brother, keeping his eyes on the figure before him. "Who tha shell are you?"_

_Raph couldn't tell for sure, but judging by the way the opening of the cowl turned towards him, the figure was staring straight at him._

_"I am here for your brother."_

_The turtle narrowed his eyes and tightened his hands into fists. "That ain't what I asked, but at least that answers my second question of "what do you want"." Raph maintained his position. "Sorry, but Leo's got an appointment back home, so we'll just be leavin' now."_

_"I think not." The specter met Raph's glare without flinching. "Regardless of your desires, mine have precedence. You asked who I am; I am Death. And as I have told you, I am here for your brother."_

_Raph paled at the realization of what was going on, but stood his ground. "Tough shell. You can't have 'im. Leo ain't dead."_

_"That is because I have not taken him yet. Your brother has been lingering between life and death. I have sensed his soul wavering, passing more and more into my realm. I waited to see what would happen, but I have waited long enough. He is now ready to pass on, so I am here to collect him."_

_"No way. We got rid of the connection between Leo and Iganna, and I'm takin' Leo back home."_

_Death paused, tilting its head to the side in apparent confusion. "Connection? What connection?"_

_"The connection I had with Iganna Triolini." Both Death and Raph turned to look at Leo as he spoke up, pushing himself into a sitting position. The blue-banded turtle met Death's gaze fearlessly. "She had powers of a supernatural nature, which she used on me. And somehow, even when she died, those powers maintained a bond between us. That's the only reason I'm here, there's nothing else to cause my death."_

_"I see." Death fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "I remember that woman. She is one of the few souls that I have taken before they had truly died."_

_Both Raph and Leo stared at Death in surprise. "That was you?" the older turtle asked. "You were the pool of blood that took Iganna?"_

_"Yes. You must understand, I do not normally act outside of my restrictions, but that woman had caused many problems for me. She brought about the premature deaths of many people, but because of the damage done to them, I had no choice but to take them regardless."_

_"It's not my time to die either," Leo said. "Iganna's death is no longer pulling me to my own. I think you've made a mistake."_

_"There is no mistake. I did not take you earlier because it was not your time; your soul was only felt in my realm because it was connected to the soul of the woman I took when she died. But now your soul has become detached from your body, and you are felt in my realm because it is your time, not the time of that woman. I do not decide who is to die, nor when, but I know the form and time of every mortal's death. And your soul is now calling to me."_

_"Alright, I dunno if this'll work, but it's worth a shot." Raph walked forward and placed himself before Death, firmly in between the specter and Leo. "Ya listened ta Master Splintah, so maybe you'll listen ta me. Leave Leo alone. He ain't ready ta go yet; it ain't his time."_

_Death shook its head. "Child, you presume much. I acquiesced to your teacher because he was right, not because I was being compassionate. You cannot cheat Death."_

_"I ain't tryin' ta cheat ya," Raph protested. He glanced back at Leo, an idea forming in his mind, and faced Death once more. "I'll make ya a deal. We both want Leo's life, right? 'Cept the way I see it, ya don't gotta kill 'im ta get what ya want. A life's really just energy when ya get down to it, right? And I know Leo ain't got much left in him. There ain't much left ta take before he'd…be gone. So here's the deal: whatever ya need from Leo, take from me. It's a fair trade."_

_"What?! Raph, no!" Leo tried to struggle to his feet. "It's not your fight, and I won't allow it! Don't you remember what Don said? About holding on to ghosts?"_

_The red-banded turtle swiveled around, glaring at his brother. "You ain't a ghost yet, Leo! An' how tha shell can you say it's not my fight?! Yer my brother, an' we have always fought tagether, not just you an' me, but all four of us. An' now yer tellin' me "you won't allow it"? Well, that's too damn bad, bro, 'cause I don't give a shell what you think about it."_

_Death cocked its head to the side, seeming to consider Raph's proposition. "Do you know what you are doing, child?" Death asked Raph. "While it is true that there is not much energy left in your brother, there is still his life energy."_

_"What the shell is that?" Raph asked, turning back to face Death._

_"Life energy is the spark that drives a life, and that is largely what I take when I claim a soul. It is no small amount of energy. Do you still wish to make this offer?"_

_Raph nodded resolutely. "Yes. I don't care if it's a lot; I can take it."_

_"Raph, don't be an idiot!" Leo was on his hands and knees, panting after a failed attempt to rise. "I am willing to die if it's my time!"_

_"See, that's tha problem, Leo," Raph said, looking at his brother seriously. "You might be willin' ta die, but I ain't willin' ta let you go." Returning his gaze to Death, he set his jaw. "Alright, I'm ready. Let's do this."_

_"NO!"_

_Despite Leo's cry, Death reached out a long-fingered hand for the red-banded turtle. Raph braced himself, but he couldn't truly prepare for what happened. The touch was like being stabbed in the gut with ice, the feeling engulfing him like a wave. Raph couldn't remember ever being so cold. The second wave of it knocked him to his knees. The third and fourth quickly numbed him, and he lost count after that. Everything hurt, everything was so bitingly cold, and he just wanted to sleep…just like Leo had…_

_Leo…Leo!_

_The icy grip dropped him, sending him crumpling onto his side, and everything rushed back._

_"Raph!" Leo struggled over to his brother, pulling him into a rough hug. "You idiot! I told you not to do that!"_

_"Yeah, well, when have I ever listened to ya?" Raph groaned, the breath coming out of him in wispy puffs, burning through his heaving lungs. Looking up, he saw the glowing specter in front of him. It was brighter now, shining with the energy from Raph and pulsing in time with his racing heart. A luminescent hand still hovered inches above him, and Raph struggled to find his voice. "Are—are we…even now?"_

_The specter paused for a moment, then drew its hand away. "Yes. For now, all debts have been paid. You have my word that I will not touch you or your brother."_

_"All debts?" Raph asked, slowly regaining his breath. "What…are ya talkin' about? The only one…I know about…is this one."_

_"This is the third time your family has denied me of your brother, and the second time you have had the audacity to openly refuse and confront me. First, the time of steel three winters ago; then, more recently with the woman of the bleeding hands; and now, when your brother was caught between lights."_

_"What are ya…?" A light suddenly clicked on in Raph's mind. "The 'time of steel'…three winters ago…that's when the Shredder came back, right? But we didn't—naw, we **did**. When we talked ta Leo, we took 'im back from ya, didn't we?" When the specter nodded, Raph continued. "The woman with the bleeding hands…Iganna, which was when Sensei told ya to back off. An' stuck between the lights…the lights were you an' home, weren't they? You an' Life."_

_Death nodded again. "Most see me as darkness, as an end; but I am just as much a part of light as my counterpart Life is. Without Light, Shadow cannot exist. And without Shadow, there is no proof of Light's existence."_

_"That's beautiful. D'you all-powerful types sit around thinkin' this cryptic crap up?"_

_"Raph!" Leo admonished, shock and dismay evident in his tone._

_The specter stared at Raph for a moment, then shook its head in rueful disbelief. "It continues to astound me just how much disregard you have for who I am and what I am capable of."_

_"Oh, I hold plenty of regard fer ya," Raph assured Death, slowly sitting up. "An' any other time I might be worried. But you promised we were square, an' I'm too tired ta give a crap 'bout much of anythin' right now."_

_Death fell to studying Raph. "Few have ever caused me as much trouble or stood in my way like you and your kin have. Many count themselves lucky to escape me once; and yet you attempt it three times. More shocking is that you have succeeded each time."_

_Raph heavily levered himself to his feet. "Look, pal, we ain't tryin' ta step on yer toes or piss anyone off. We're just stickin' tagether, like a family's supposed ta. We don't let anyone go without a fight."_

_"This I know well. And for that you have my grudging admiration. Few dare to challenge me, and even fewer have the will and abilities to succeed. But do not think to be so lucky in the future; Death cannot be denied, and such a trade as this one will most likely not appease me next time. All lives are pledged to me from their beginning, and all must pay what is owed." Death's eyes focused on Raph like lasers. "Just because you have eluded me thus far, do not think you are immune or untouchable. Your brother is mine, as are you and the rest of your family. Do not forget that."_

_Raph met Death's stare with his own, his chin jutting into the air. "I don't plan to. But I ain't gonna run around scared outta my shell 'cause of ya either. I ain't ever lived that way, an' I don't plan ta start now. Yer inevitable, an' I know that, but till it's my time, my family's time, we're fighting ya every step of tha way."_

_Death smiled. "I can ask for no less. Any victory is dull and joyless without a fight."_

_"Have ya got a book of this stuff? A big collection of witty sayin's?"_

_The specter in front of him raised an eyebrow. "I have called a truce with you and have not claimed your lives, but I have not named you "friend". It would serve you well to have a care for how you speak to me."_

_"Yeah, yeah. Ya don't have ta worry 'bout me thinkin' we're pals. If I don't see ya fer another fifty years, it'll be too soon. And don't expect any invites ta birthday parties, either."_

_Death threw back its head and laughed. "I hardly think I would know what to do with myself if I were surrounded by your entire clan for any great length of time." Death's voice resumed a rueful tone. "And now I shall bid you farewell, and leave you with some "witty sayings", as you deem them. Take care, Raphael, and fear no shadows. Remember to hold to the strength in yourself and your family, and to treasure the lives of all. You work hard to save the lives of those dear to you, and I hope that you will also strive to spare the lives of those around you; as I have said, no victory has any merit without a worthy struggle to the end. And finally, you would do well to learn some respect for your elders."_

_Raph matched Death's grin. "I'll work on it."_

_"You do that. Now leave; you have lingered too long in this realm, as have I. And as a goodwill token, I shall aid you."_

_Raph suddenly found himself flying backwards towards his doorway as Death abandoned his grip on him. As he neared the glowing portal, he shouted back towards the figures he left behind. "Ya promised! Remember that; you promised!"_

_After Raph disappeared back to the physical realm, Death slowly turned to look at Leo. "I believe that he was speaking to us both."_

_"I believe he was. Would it do any good for me to apologize for my brother's behavior and words, Zetsumei-san?" (translation: end of life, death)_

_The giant specter chuckled. "No, Leonardo, I cannot expect you to apologize for your brother's actions. Nor do I need you to; it is rare for me to find any souls to commune with that do not fear me. It is a delight to meet some like that throughout my travels, even if they lack the proper respect for authorities."_

_"Respect for authorities has never been one of Raph's strong points."_

_"I've noticed." Death cocked his head to the side, staring at Leo. "I sense a curiosity within you, Leonardo, concerning me. You have a question you wish to ask."_

_"Well, yes, Zetsumei-san, I do, but I don't want to presume too much."_

_Death chuckled again. "Your brother presumes more than he should, while you hesitate to presume anything at all. The balance in the universe will never cease to amaze me, I expect." The specter sobered. "Do not fear to address me because of who and what I am, Leonardo. I believe that you have earned the right to ask your question."_

_"Thank you, Zetsumei-san. What I wanted to ask was...will I see you again soon? Will you be coming after one of my family?"_

_The dark-robed specter sighed. "You most definitely make your question count, Leonardo. I am afraid, however, that I cannot answer you. Every person that I meet in cases like these asks me that question, but I cannot answer, because it is not for mortals to know when their time, or the time of others, will come."_

_"Oh." Leo fell silent for a moment. "Well, then may I ask another question?"_

_A smile was evident in Death's voice. "You may."_

_"What do you look like?"_

_Death froze for a moment, then began to shake slightly. Leo was worried that something was wrong, when the shaking suddenly turned out to be a chuckle, which soon erupted into delighted laughter._

_"In all my years," Death said as its laughter died down, "all these many eons, I have never been asked that." With that, Death reached up and pulled down the hood of its robe._

_Leo's eyes widened slightly. He had been expecting a fearsome figure, but what stood in front of him was far from that. Death's hood had fallen back to reveal the venerable face of an old man. His age could hardly be measured, let alone guessed at, and deep wrinkles covered his face. He had short, neatly trimmed hair, a salt-and-pepper dabbling of gray and white. But what surprised Leo the most was the man's eyes, for his were a soft brown of unimaginable depth. The turtle could see stars being born and dying, civilizations rising and falling, and life cycling throughout the years within those eyes. Yet they were also soft, kindness and peace shining from within them. Without the fear generated by Death's name, without the menacing presence that was expected to surround him, Leo thought Death seemed to be gentle and kind. "You're not anything like I expected you to be," he said softly._

_The old man smiled. "I know. All expect me to be a faceless ghoul beneath this robe, or a skeleton, or the haunting figure of a loved one, and as such, none have ever asked to see what I look like. But I am not the terrifying specter with a scythe that everyone expects me to be. I don't bring death out of vengeance; I bring it merely as an conclusion, an end to a life and a time to rest."_

_Leo nodded slowly. "'Don't fear the reaper'," he quoted with a smile._

_"Exactly. And now I must say farewell. I fear that if I keep you here any longer, your brother will see fit to return and lecture me some more, and I feel that I have had all of him that I can manage for now. Go, Leonardo. I will not hinder you any longer, but you must make your way back on your own." Death drew back a ways, putting distance between himself and Leo._

_Leo gave a silent sigh. The coldness had eased away, and he no longer felt the full force of that terrifying pull from Death. But he was still left to face one undeniable fact: he was weak. Even without the biting cold, even without the numbing urge to sleep, Leo was still very tired. He seriously wondered whether he could make it to the door. And yet…didn't he owe it to his family, especially Raph, to try? _After all Raph's done to save me and give me this chance, how could I just throw it away?_ Leo shook his head._ I can't. Raph asked me to try one more time; so here's my one more time. _Taking in a deep breath, Leo slowly gathered all of his strength. With a mighty effort he managed to make it to his feet, and silently congratulated himself for the small victory. He paused for a moment, then began walking to his door, the five feet seeming like five miles to his tired body. Leo stumbled several times, his feet and legs seemingly indignant about the workout they were being put through. Upon reaching the glowing portal, he leaned against the doorway and sighed. He turned his head back behind him at the sound of light applause._

_Death stood there, a small smile of admiration on his face. "Well done, Leonardo. I am reminded once again why I have failed to gather any of your family, and you especially. Just walking may not seem like a large feat, but trust me, you have much to be proud of. You were farther gone than many have been, and yet you have fought harder than all of them."_

_Leo bowed to Death slowly. "Thank you, Zetsumei-san."_

_"And thank you, Leonardo. I am sure that the memories of this day will keep me entertained for a several years to come."_

_The blue-banded turtle blushed slightly. "Raph does have a tendency to make an impression on people."_

_"That he does. And on that note…" Death walked over to Leo, who felt a twinge of rueful envy at how easy the action was for him. The old man then laid a gentle hand on Leo's head, and a wave of power flowed through him. Leo glanced down and was shocked to see the wounds gone from his body. And if he concentrated, he could even feel the pain vanishing from his dislocated knee back in the physical plane. The turtle looked back up at Death, a question in his eyes._

_"Consider it a goodwill token," Death said, smiling._

_"Thank you, Zetsumei-san," Leo said gratefully, bowing deeply. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."_

_"Most likely as greatly as I do, for it is also insurance for my health and sanity; were your wounds to prove fatal, I doubt that I could survive facing your brother again so soon." They both laughed at the admission. Death smiled again and reached around Leo, opening the door for him. Turning Leo around, he gave him a small push of encouragement through the portal. "Be well, Leonardo. I know that we will meet again." His voice took on a wry tone. "Though for both our sakes, I hope it is not any time soon. You and your family bring far too much excitement into an old man's life. Goodbye, Leonardo Hamato."_

_"Goodbye, Zetsumei-san. And thank you." With that, Leo strode through his doorway, making his way to the physical plane as the door shut softly behind him._

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Don tapped his fingers together nervously. Raph and Splinter had been "gone" for an agonizing fifteen minutes before Splinter had returned. The rat had told Don that his brothers would be close behind him, but that had been another fifteen minutes ago. The brainy turtle was getting more and more anxious by the minute.

Mikey was no better. In fact, the younger turtle was a basket case, certain that his brothers had been sucked into some sort of astral black hole. He even proceeded to explain this theory, in great detail, to Don and Splinter until his tired sensei had sent him on a mission to the infirmary for extra bandages and painkillers. The old rat had then made his way to his room, attempting to determine what was taking Raph and Leo so long.

So now they were still waiting. Don glanced at Raph, but there was still no movement. He looked back at Leo, but his condition was still the same as well. Suddenly, his oldest brother gave a large shudder. Don froze as Leo's breath caught in his throat then slowly flowed back out. Don gave a sigh of relief, comforted by the fact that his brother had kept breathing until he realized something that nearly stopped his heart:

Leo had never breathed back in.

"Leo!" Don darted to his brother's side, hand reaching automatically for a pulse. Several heart-wrenching seconds later, there it was; a feeble throbbing underneath his fingers that was growing weaker every second. "No!"

"Don, what's wrong?" Mikey came flying around the corner, his trip to the infirmary interrupted by Don's shouts. "Is Leo okay?"

"No, he's not, he stopped breathing and I'm losing his pulse! Get over here, Mikey; I might need you to help me with CPR. I'm going to try just mouth-to-mouth resuscitation first, but if that doesn't work, do the chest compressions like I showed you and I'll take care of the breathing."

"You got it, Don." Mikey took up a position next to Leo's inert body.

"Alright, here goes." Don tilted Leo's head back and began to breathe into his mouth, counting to himself as he did so. One_…Leo…_Two_…is he going to die?..._Three_…where's Raph? I thought he was supposed to fix this…_Four_…Leo just can't die…_Five_…what are we going to do?_ He stepped back. "Mikey, five compressions, now!" The youngest turtle quickly stepped up and did as he was told.

"Don…hey, Donnie…" a weak voice spoke up. "Give a turtle a hand?"

The purple-banded turtle's head whipped around, and his eyes widened at what he saw. Raph was waking up! "Raph!" Don sped over to his brother's side, helping him to stand.

Mikey also spun around to see his older brother. "Raph, you're back! What happened? Where's Leo?"

Raph gained his feet shakily, his normally dark skin pale and his breathing uneven. "He's comin', Mikey. Jus' give it a sec."

"We don't have a second, Raph!" Don protested. "He stopped breathing and his pulse is dropping!"

The hotheaded turtle laid a hand on Don's shoulder. "It'll be alright, Donnie. Just get me over there."

Don helped Raph over to Leo's bed, gesturing for Mikey to step back. Raph took up his youngest brother's position, performing the chest compressions with shaky arms. "Come on, Leo," Raph said, breathing heavily. He gritted his teeth, dismayed at the weakness in his arms. "You…promised, bro. An' I'm gonna help ya keep that promise…if it's tha last thing I do." A tingle spread up from Leo's body into Raph's hand, and as the red-banded turtle recognized the feeling attached to it, he gave a final hard shove to his brother's plastron, pushing with all his might.

Leo took a deep, gasping breath as his eyes flew open, his hands flying up to grab Raph's wrists. Raph sighed with relief and collapsed into Don's recently vacated chair, breathing nearly as harshly as Leo. "You sure as shell…took yer time in gettin' back here, bro," the hothead commented as he tried to regain his breath.

"Yeah, well…after Zetsumei-san met _you_, I had a few things…to apologize for," Leo quipped.

"Leo!" Mikey and Don both rushed at their older brothers, burying Leo and Raph in tight embraces.

Don pulled back first. "What happened, you guys? Did something go wrong?"

The older turtles glanced at each other. "It's a long story," Leo said. "Get Master Splinter and we'll fill you in."

Twenty minutes later, the rest of the Hamato family was brought up to date. Don and Mikey were amazed at what had happened, Splinter was distressed after hearing about Raph's behavior, Raph was sore where Splinter had hit him with his stick for how he treated Death, and Leo was laughing about Raph getting hit.

As his chuckles died off, Leo nudged Raph. "Hey, bro, I've got a surprise for you, compliments of Zetsumei-san."

Raph narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What kinda surprise?"

Leo just smiled and began to unwrap the bandages around his side. When he pulled away the final layer of wrappings, there was nothing on his side but a thin scar, well-healed. The turtle grinned at the commotion that resulted and explained what had happened. "Zetsumei-san decided he wanted me healthy when I returned. It seems that he had had more than enough quality time with a certain red bandana-wearing turtle."

Everyone laughed at that comment, though Splinter looked dismayed. "Raphael, did you truly speak in such a fashion to Zetsumei-san?"

"Well, yeah, but it's no big deal. He didn't care, said he was glad ta meet someone who wasn't scared of 'im." Raph smirked, glancing at his brothers out of the corner of his eye. "Apparently all the people he meets are a buncha stiffs."

All the turtles groaned and laughed at the joke, Splinter joining in reluctantly. Leo shook his head. "That was awful, bro."

"Hey, it got a laugh outta everybody, didn't it? It couldn't've been that bad."

"Raph, we're all sleep-deprived and high strung," Don pointed out. "We're not exactly a hard crowd to push into hysterics." He shook his head ruefully. "A woman who can transfer injuries, a swirling vortex of death, and a nice long chat with Death himself, during which he is not only convinced to spare our brother's life, but to heal him as well. How exactly do we get into situations like this?"

Mikey grinned as he stole Raph's line. "It's just the old turtle luck working true to form!"

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A couple hours later, the Lair was quiet again. Don and Mikey had helped move Raph's hammock into Leo's room after Raph had complained that he was too tired to make the trek into his own room. They had also decided to move two cots into the room as well, the four of them spending the night in the same room for only the second time in years. Splinter had bid all four of his sons goodnight, surprising them all by planting kisses on their foreheads before he retired as well. The four turtles had stayed up to talk for a while before Don dropped off, quickly followed by Mikey.

Leo and Raph continued to chat a bit before they too decided to call it a night, dwelling briefly on Iganna.

"I can't believe someone could be driven to do that," Leo commented softly. "To hate people that much, to willingly cause that much pain to others."

"Yeah, well, not everyone has yer heart, bro," Raph pointed out. He hesitated slightly before speaking again. "Listen, Leo? Don't let what happened get to ya, okay bro? Don't let it affect ya like what happened with Karai did."

Leo reached over and gripped Raph's arm, squeezing it gently. "I won't, Raph, don't worry. Things with Karai were…_are_ complicated. What Iganna did, her betrayal hurt, but she'd never gotten as close as Karai so in a way, it wasn't as bad. I just still wish that things had turned out better. If I'd never agreed to help her, none of this—"

"Stop it, Leo." Raph grabbed Leo's hand with his own. "Don't go blamin' yerself again. There was no way ya coulda known what she was really like, and we're all alright. Everythin' turned out fine. You trust people a lot, Leo, but after what happened with Karai, ya started actin' like that's a bad thing, except it ain't. Just 'cause a couple people ya trusted turned on ya, it don't mean everyone will. Like Donnie said, not everyone we help is gonna be another Casey or April." He punched Leo affectionately in the arm, then laid back in his hammock. "Just…don't stop carin', bro. Remember what Mikey said, there are still some good people in this city."

"Thanks, bro." Leo watched his brother as he fell asleep, smiling as the hothead's snores began to float through the room. He thought about his brother's words, about Casey and April, their homeless friends, Leatherhead, Professor Honeycutt, and all the other people they'd helped. _Raph's right. Even if there's people who don't appreciate us, or who would fear or turn on us, there are still people who make it all worth it._

"I'll remember that, Raph," he said softly, his whispered words echoing around the quiet room. "I'll remember that, I promise. I won't brick up my heart again. I won't close my self off from all of you ever again."

Gazing around the room, his thoughts turned to his younger brothers and his sensei in the other room, and he smiled gently.

"Don't worry, Raph; I'll never stop caring."

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**A/N: OMG, HF, I'm done! XD I can't believe it! And this monstrosity is 38 pages long! I have had so much fun writing this story, and I absolutely love where it's gone. I'm proud of how it turned out, and I love the support everyone has shown for it. I really hope it was worth the time and the wait. I've already got several more story ideas lined up, and I'll be posting a little list of those on my profile, so check that out sometime in the next couple of days if you want to. Other than that, I've got nothing left to say except thank you, I love you guys, and please review:D**


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